is lust a mortal sin?

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I got myself into a dilemma yesterday when I saw … lets say… a good looking chest. My rule is that it’s impossible not to notice so that’s ok… BUT if you dwell on the sight… or go in for a second look… well that’s a venial sin as long as you aren’t mentally imagining sex of any kind. I did go in for the second sight but knew instantly that I’d done something wrong. It’s a dangerous venial sin because it can lead to a more serious sin later.

Under such circumstances I always say an instant Fatima prayer (the one said with the rosary) and make an Act of Contrition. I also discuss it with Our Lord after the Rosary when I also end with a formal Act of Contrition. I will still take Communion today but will discuss this at my next Confession.

All the Best in Christ

Rove
 
roveau said:
I got myself into a dilemma yesterday when I saw … lets say… a good looking chest. My rule is that it’s impossible not to notice so that’s ok… BUT if you dwell on the sight… or go in for a second look… well that’s a venial sin as long as you aren’t mentally imagining sex of any kind. I did go in for the second sight but knew instantly that I’d done something wrong. It’s a dangerous venial sin because it can lead to a more serious sin later.

Under such circumstances I always say an instant Fatima prayer (the one said with the rosary) and make an Act of Contrition. I also discuss it with Our Lord after the Rosary when I also end with a formal Act of Contrition. I will still take Communion today but will discuss this at my next Confession.

All the Best in Christ

Rove
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Thirty years ago or so, U.S. President Jimmy Carter shocked many when he admitted to committing adultery by having lust in his heart at one time or another for a woman outside his marriage. He was honest and accurate but he did not follow through; he may have been one of our most morally pure presidents. Sins against purity are encouraged by modern culture and even become a significant part of the economy. At a Call To Men conference a few years ago the Commercial Sex Exploitation Industry was mentioned. (CSEI) The short way of saying it is, “sex sells”. That is not taking the high or honorable road. Cleanliness is next to Godliness is the old-timers’ way of saying it; I don’t think it only pertained to fingernails. We should all clean up our language and fashions and thoughts; the battle is never-ending, but the rewards are eternal. Prayers for all to achieve purity one moment at a time… (a socially responsible investment option is Ave Maria Funds) Colmcille&kin
 
IMO, if you are feeling badly about it, you should just go to confession again. I think that there was a lot of good information on here to help you feel more comfortable, but there really is nothing holding you back from just going back to the church and freeing your mind from the uneasiness this is causing you. I have gone to confession two days in a row before just because I couldn’t bare the uneasiness that something caused me during the night after my confession. So, why wait if you are honestly sorry and feeling badly about something? Some people might think I was being obsessive, but I felt much better and frankly don’t care how it seems to other people 👍

Also, the simple answer is that lust is a mortal sin. Lust is about being consumed by the impure thoughts caused, perhaps, by putting yourself in the near occasion of sin. Therefore, it would seem that the two sins you confessed are the cause for the major issue. And personally, I think that you can more simply just confess lust and that will cover the other two (when they are related). But, I have a feeling that confessing the two smaller sins does not necessarily mean that you are confessing lust. But, confession is not about proper word choice and understanding of definitions. If you thought you were confessing the sin, then you were confessing the sin. But, if you knew that there was a more proper way to confess the sin and you beat around the bush in order to not make yourself look so guilty, you are not truly confessing.
 
So far, as I read these messages, there appears to be an understanding that
it is lustful and a mortal sin to take pleasure in vicarious thoughts with a person
that one is not married to.
According to Theology of the Body, one can commit sin of lust with one’s spouse.
Has anyone or any threads have an opinion on whether taking pleasure in vicarious
thoughts about one’s spouse is lustful and a mortal sin?
If there are no opinions, is there any official teaching in Catholic Church on this ?
 
Janko
:oYuck!:o I heard the other day that Mr. Carter was pro-choice/pro-abortion! I must eat my words… He sure seemed like the gentleman back in the 70’s and when working with Habitat for Humanity. There’s always room for improvement I guess.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) probably would help clear the concern up about lust for a spouse being sinful. Lust is probably better defined in the CCC and probably is a sin which precludes sacrificial love.
 
I don’t see anything in CCC about defining lust with spouse.
Theology of the Body was where I first heard about a person can
be guilty of lust with spouse.
Lets keep the the language more simple. Leave out the word vicarious.

Is Theology of the Body implying that getting pleasure is a serious sin
when thinking about marital relations with spouse?
 
There are very few things that are “always” mortally sinful- I suppose you meant is lust a “grave matter.”

Again, that would depend on the extent to which you are lusting. Seeing a pretty girl in an immodest outfit and not feeling some sense of lust would be something to worry about. Fantasizing about her for the next few hours is… troublesome.
 
If you deliberately, knowingly, and willfully consent to and entertain your lustful thoughts, then that is a mortal sin. However, just having these thoughts pop into our head is not sinful at all. Try not to worry about them too much–I find that for me, at least, sometimes the more I worry about lustful thoughts the more I find myself dwelling on them; I think it is a very easy trap to fall into.

Also, there is nothing wrong with being attracted to an attractive woman. It’s perfectly good and natural–we were made that way. Otherwise the human race would no longer exist!
 
Lust - it is one of the seven capital sins. Thus, a mortal sin.
 
renepape said:
If you deliberately, knowingly, and willfully consent to and entertain your lustful thoughts, then that is a mortal sin. However, just having these thoughts pop into our head is not sinful at all. Try not to worry about them too much–I find that for me, at least, sometimes the more I worry about lustful thoughts the more I find myself dwelling on them; I think it is a very easy trap to fall into.

Also, there is nothing wrong with being attracted to an attractive woman. It’s perfectly good and natural–we were made that way. Otherwise the human race would no longer exist!
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*In Latin, Lingua Latina, is it sexare or sexere, ‘to attract’? Is it ‘wrong’ to be attracted to an unattractive woman? There is a Today Show or some other program coming up soon that has a feature called Addicted to Beauty… Certain aspects of genetic physical beauty are only skin deep and may mask unwholesome qualities. A wonderful form of beauty is in the “eyes” of the beholder with a well formed conscience. God bless all here, especially in their caring and daring to show that they care!👍 *
 
i have been having problems with lust lately and i can not seem to shake it off.

i feel like i am sinking wiith this problem.

I go to work and i get so many images in my mind i sometime just want to walk out of work and go home. sometimes i go mad and feel crazy.

i can not even look at a women because after seeing them for a split second i then get an image and after a few seconds i shake it off. i dont keep the thought or fanterzie but i am looking at the thought but not doing any thing to it or with it.

so if there is a thought and i am looking at it and then decide no i do not want to continue it no sin right.

Sometime i even wonder did i develop the thought myself which is another problem i have.
i wonder if anyone can help if i maybe started an image but then relized the image is in my head and i shake it off then would that be a brief entertainment of thought and only venial
 
reginaangelorum said:
I just went to confession and I forgot to confess lust
but i confessed being impure and putting myself in the occasion of sin…

I was told that this is like explaining lust so i really did confess it and don’t have to acknowledge it the next time i am at confession because i already acknowledged it but just didn’t say the actually word.

is lust a mortal sin? if so did i confess it?
i’m confused…

i feel like i’m being scrupulous.
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Relax regina,

Confession is a renewable source of inexhaustible grace.

If you make it a habit of going to confession frequently, then the Lord will grant you peace. I try to go weekly, I often succeed at going once or twice a month. It’s that important!

Lust is actually one of the 7 deadly sins. And it can be committed outside of the normally percieved sexual means.

Simply go back to confession next week and confess… Nothing defeats the demon more thoroughly than confession.
 
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