Is cheating in games a sin?

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I know cheating is wrong but is it grave matter? In school we were playing a review game online for fun, and during a question I was not sure of the answer and looked at someone’s screen and noticed they picked an answer I was considering but probably was not going to choose. I was thinking, should I pick that answer even though it could be cheating, or pick the other answer I probably was going to choose. In the end I choose the answer I saw the other person picked and got it right, but I felt so guilty, because I knew I probably should have not done that even for a meaningless review game. My question is did I commit a mortal sin by cheating, or is it Venial? I was thinking it was venial but am not sure. Also I am scrupulous, so I always feel like my every wrongdoing is usually grave matter, and when I rationalize I feel I make excuses. I talk to our priest from time to time to help me with certain situations also. Your comments are much appreciated, thank you.
 
Talk to your priest. He knows you better than us. He has more knowledge than us.
 
HeavenChaser said:
Also I am scrupulous,
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If you’re scrupulous, asking strangers on the internet will only make your Scrupulosity worse. Please speak to a priest and trust him. And tell him about your scruples so that he may guide you.
 
I have told, and talked to him before about my scrupules. Typically he responds with don’t torture yourself. It’s just hard because it is so different in so many situations, and I just want to be the holiest person I can be, but I always slip up, and that’s why I don’t know if in this case, this is serious enough to classify as grave matter or not. And I thank all the people that respond to my problems because you help me grow and try to become a better person.
 
HeavenChaser said:
I have told, and talked to him before about my scrupules. Typically he responds with don’t torture yourself.
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That’s good. Please trust him. He knows his stuff. And I understand that it’s hard to live with Scrupulosity, but again, this isn’t the place to ask about that. Your priest went through the seminary and has years of experience. That’s not the case for the vast majority of posters here. So I understand you want to be holy, but the best person to ask is your priest. Because if you ask CAF, you’ll get differing opinions and uniformed opinions which will only make things worse.
 
Cheating generally involves betrayal of trust, lack of charity, lack of respect for authority, deception, not exactly a Christian way to behave.
 
Some games are based on deception and bluffing but even they have rules. Generally if you go outside the rules of the game (meaning if you are caught, you’re penalized) that counts as cheating, which is a sin in my opinion.
 
Is all cheating mortal? Or in this case could it be venial? I have not really ever cheated since maybe elementary or early middle school because I know it is wrong and do not want to be a lier. I honestly do not know why I did it, maybe competitiveness because I know it’s wrong, I just don’t know if it is a mortal or venial sin?
 
HeavenChaser said:
I know cheating is wrong but is it grave matter? In school we were playing a review game online for fun, and during a question I was not sure of the answer and looked at someone’s screen and noticed they picked an answer I was considering but probably was not going to choose. I was thinking, should I pick that answer even though it could be cheating, or pick the other answer I probably was going to choose. In the end I choose the answer I saw the other person picked and got it right, but I felt so guilty, because I knew I probably should have not done that even for a meaningless review game. My question is did I commit a mortal sin by cheating, or is it Venial? I was thinking it was venial but am not sure. Also I am scrupulous, so I always feel like my every wrongdoing is usually grave matter, and when I rationalize I feel I make excuses. I talk to our priest from time to time to help me with certain situations also. Your comments are much appreciated, thank yo
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Is it sin? YES

Is it a grave matter? NO; unless their is money involved, and then it would depend on the amount and the circumstances. {Penny Poker: No}
 
I would say rather than asking if it is a grave matter, more apt is to ask whether cheating is good or bad behaviour? Then the answer would be easier to decide.

I will say this - try to not include cheating in whatever we do in our lives. It can be in very harmless game but actually this is more of building of habit. When we have done it so often it will lose its seriousness the next time and so on.

Today it may not be a sin, but later in different situations it could be and worse.

Thus start off well and right. As Scripture says, there’s a time for everything - don’t, where it is uncalled for.

God bless.
 
There was no money involved, nor a grade, just the satisfaction that you are prepared for the final. I immediately said an act of contrition when I got home asking God for forgiveness and mercy, but God and I know I am better than this and can do better even if it is just a possible minor slip up.
 
I was usually cheated in elementary school.

If I was caught my answers was that I just “verify”. (and I saw it like that).

But in reality, cheating, traduce a lack of self-confidence. And cheated will not answers the problem, but even make it worse, because the cheater become dependant to cheating and others’s approoval.
If this extend in many areas of life, it is a serious problem. It hide the capacity to the person to make importants and minors decisions.

Cheating is bad. It makes remorsfull. If you feel that you have a cheating problem, I suggest that you examin it, and perhaps find help to know how to grow your self esteem and confidence. And confess it, to not stay with remorse.
 
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I don’t feel that I have a cheating problem, I just think today I was not sure of the answer and made a terrible choice to see what other people were putting. In some ways the game is an open class game because almost everybody asks what did you put as your answer, but as I always say you can’t let other people affect how you live your life except loved ones. Just because everyone else did it does not mean it is right. I have been struggling recently with sin, and have been trying my very best to remain in a state of grace, and this was very upsetting if I committed a mortal sin for something I very rarely struggle with.
 
If you don’t have a cheating problem, this act will probably stay isolated.

So, you can confess it, but not worry too much with it.

I understand your good resolution to stay in a state of grace, and it seems that you are in the right direction.

Anybody fall one day. Absolution existed to help us in our path to God.
 
To all the people answering the OP’s question:

It really isn’t a good idea in my opinion to answer this question. When Scrupulosity is in play (and I mean this for all people with Scrupulosity, not just HeavenChaser) we do a disservice to people by trying to answer their questions because it encourages them to ask more on CAF, when we should be advocating for them to priest. It’s a good intention, but it can really do more harm than good.
 
“Is cheating in games a sin?”

Yes, if you’re cheating in secret, but sometimes people get crazy at their games, and everyone starts cheating, then it’s an excepted norm for your game, and there’s no sin.
 
The poster is scrupulous. So trying to answer their question us detrimental, not beneficial. The best advice we can give is to speak with a priest.
 
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