Is speaking idle words mortal sin?

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I know in the Bible it says something along the lines of “you will be judged for every word you say.” Does this just mean gossip and where does it become a mortal sin?
 
It’s not a mortal sin unless you are knowingly and purposely trying to destroy someone’s reputation, therefore causing them a lot of harm. A mortal sin isn’t something we do “by accident.” Don’t worry about it. Just try to be a good person.
 
The Bible tells us to control our tongues. It also tells us that we will have to give an account of our idle words. Here’s a reference:

bible.cc/james/1-26.htm

We should think before we speak. We should consider the consequences of our words. Self-control of ourselves is important.

Peace,
Ed
 
edwest2 said:
The Bible tells us to control our tongues. It also tells us that we will have to give an account of our idle words. Here’s a reference:

bible.cc/james/1-26.htm

We should think before we speak. We should consider the consequences of our words. Self-control of ourselves is important.

Peace,
Ed
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So that would be to say “Hey, nice weather, isn’t it Fred?” or talking to a pet would be sinful?
 
I already told you when it would be a mortal sin:
Debora123 said:
It’s not a mortal sin unless you are knowingly and purposely trying to destroy someone’s reputation, therefore causing them a lot of harm.
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Debora123 said:
What?? Why would that be a sin? I’m so confused…
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He’s asking if it’s sinful, not necessarily mortally so.

And to the OP, make sure you understand what is meant by “idle.” KJV gives “idle,” but other translations have “careless” and “empty.” NAB gives “careless” in Mt 12:36.

If you read Mt 12 in context, you might have a better idea that it’s not referring to the weather or taling to pets.
 
Small talk makes a relational connection. We have to make connections…it is part of loving our neighbor.

I imagine that Jesus was quite adept at small talk or he wouldn’t have been invited to parties.
 
Debora123 said:
It’s not a mortal sin unless you are knowingly and purposely trying to destroy someone’s reputation, therefore causing them a lot of harm. A mortal sin isn’t something we do “by accident.” Don’t worry about it. Just try to be a good person.
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One does not have to “try” to destroy ones reputation…one does not need to have that “intent”.

(Like If i tell that someone is a secret homosexual …without an objective good reason can be grave even if I am not “trying” to seriously harm a person)

But yes…one has to know what one is doing!

And yes for a mortal sin one does need grave matter…full knowledge and deliberate consent…

Without all three…there is no mortal sin.

Talking about the weather is not a grave sin!

(or likely any sin…but rather an act of kindness…)
 
McatholicN said:
I know in the Bible it says something along the lines of “you will be judged for every word you say.” Does this just mean gossip and where does it become a mortal sin?
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What exactly is the quote from the Bible?
 
I think the quote you are looking for is Matthew 12:36-37

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

Its important to understand Jesus’ words in context. The Pharisees had just accused Jesus of driving out demons “by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” Jesus gave them a pretty good toung lashing about being religious hypocrites - teaching the law of Moses and not obeying it themselves - which included the quote above.

It is not a blanket statement about idle talk, AKA small-talk.

Charity is the key. Don’t assume the worst. Don’t tell secrets. Always assume somone is just mistaken rather than assuming that they have malice in mind. There is a difference between saying “I disagree with your conclusion” and “You’re not making sense” or “You’re being stupid.”

Pax
-Tim-
 
TimothyH said:
I think the quote you are looking for is Matthew 12:36-37

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

Its important to understand Jesus’ words in context. The Pharisees had just accused Jesus of driving out demons “by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” Jesus gave them a pretty good toung lashing about being religious hypocrites - teaching the law of Moses and not obeying it themselves - which included the quote above.

It is not a blanket statement about idle talk, AKA small-talk.

Charity is the key. Don’t assume the worst. Don’t tell secrets. Always assume somone is just mistaken rather than assuming that they have malice in mind. There is a difference between saying “I disagree with your conclusion” and “You’re not making sense” or “You’re being stupid.”

Pax
-Tim-
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Well said…👍
 
I am concerned however, that innocuous “idle talk” may - while not necessarily sinful - represent the lack of the virtue of silence. Proverbs 10:19-21 clearly says that “too much talk leads to sin.” They claim that the foolish speak much, and the wise less. Proverbs has a number of these, as does Sirach and Ecclesiastes.
The test of opening one's mouth at all should be, "Is the statement I am about to say necessary." Most often, it is not. "Greeting one another" is commanded throughout the epistles of Saint Paul, so "Nice weather" is something we ought to say, but only because we ought to say it. I think that many people (namely, myself) would benefit from a conception of speech based on moral duty to be polite, rather than something recreational.
 
but of course, the application of this will differ from person to person.
 
The answer is, yes, gossiping is a mortal sin.

As stated above (Question [72], Article [2]), sins of word should be judged chiefly from the intention of the speaker. Now backbiting by its very nature aims at blackening a man’s good name. Wherefore, properly speaking, to backbite is to speak ill of an absent person in order to blacken his good name. Now it is a very grave matter to blacken a man’s good name, because of all temporal things a man’s good name seems the most precious, since for lack of it he is hindered from doing many things well. For this reason it is written (Ecclus. 41:15): “Take care of a good name, for this shall continue with thee, more than a thousand treasures precious and great.” Therefore backbiting, properly speaking, is a mortal sin. Nevertheless it happens sometimes that a man utters words, whereby someone’s good name is tarnished, and yet he does not intend this, but something else. This is not backbiting strictly and formally speaking, but only materially and accidentally as it were. And if such defamatory words be uttered for the sake of some necessary good, and with attention to the due circumstances, it is not a sin and cannot be called backbiting. But if they be uttered out of lightness of heart or for some unnecessary motive, it is not a mortal sin, unless perchance the spoken word be of such a grave nature, as to cause a notable injury to a man’s good name, especially in matters pertaining to his moral character, because from the very nature of the words this would be a mortal sin. And one is bound to restore a man his good name, no less than any other thing one has taken from him, in the manner stated above (Question [62], Article [2]) when we were treating of restitution.
dhspriory.org/thomas/english/summa/SS/SS073.html#SSQ73OUTP1
 
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