Is complaining always a sin?

[jedpatrickdatu]

I just found out complaining is a sin, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around it. It’s easy to see how God does not like expressions of ungratefulness, but how about petty things like complaining how loud my neighbor’s speakers are? Is it sinful to walk up to him and tell him to lower the volume? Or when I ask the cafeteria lady to lessen the salt in their food? Are those situations equivalent to ungodly whining?

Is it sinful to be dissatisfied? Should we just suck it up and tolerate noisy neighbors, salty meals, and burnt food, because we already have plenty of blessings anyway?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

To complain is defined as:

1. to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault.
2. to tell of one’s pains, ailments, etc.: to complain of a backache.

3.to make a formal accusation: “If you think you’ve been swindled, complain to the police.”

If complaining is simply a matter of expressing the truth about something that is wrong; this is not sinful. But we do need to choose our battles. A person who is constantly complaining about something is no picnic to be around. Not everyone who complains is self-centered. But self-centered people are always complaining.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.