Is This a Mortal Sin? Advice Appreciated!

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sealabeag

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Hi,
I would like to know if the following is a mortal sin.
I was browsing the internet and on an article I was reading there was a link to the wikipedia page for PlayBoy. So I clicked on it, fairly stupidly, knowing it was possible that there might be nudity there although not actively looking for that. Sure enough, I saw one nude image and immediately closed the page, feeling like a dunce.
Obviously I don’t want to receive the Eucharist if I’m in mortal sin, so help would be appreciated, thank you.

(P.S. - This is a genuine question so answers like “don’t be scrupulous” really wouldn’t be helpful.)
 
I don’t think you’re being scrupulous.
It depends on the intention you had for opening the Wikipedia page.

It probably was not a mortal sin. Did you want to see nudity?
Also if you clicked right out, it was probably not a mortal sin.
 
Thanks for your reply.
Well my intention wasn’t to see nudity but I was aware of that possibility. Also I have struggled with pornography addiction so that somewhat subconscious desire was involved to some extent. I didn’t lust though and did close the page immediately when I saw nudity. I just thought maybe putting myself knowingly in that occasion of sin was potentially mortal.
I’m going to assume it wasn’t a mortal sin and go ahead for communion…
Thanks.
 
Consider the conditions that must be met for a sin to be a mortal sin.
 
Please discuss this with a priest in confession, especially since you said you have a past struggle with porn addiction.
Those of us who aren’t priests in the confessional aren’t really qualified to judge this situation or give you advice about it.
God bless.
 
  1. I commend you for asking. This is a fair question.
  2. It could come down to your act of the will. You suspected it would have material you ought not look at, but you clicked anyway. Perhaps.
St. Alphonsus Legori believed every sin of the flesh, even the very small ones, were by default mortal sins (which is scary to think about).

Consider on the other hand St. Teresa of Avila. One time in her personal encounter with Jesus, she expressed sorrow for inappropriate thoughts entering into her head, though not entertaining them. She would immediately have disgust when they did come into her head.

Jesus reaffirmed her that those thoughts entering into her head were not by default sins as she did not respond well to them and knew instantly that these were wrong.

It’s a matter of how we respond to these things.

I’d confess it and even ask the priest about this.
 
No it’s not a mortal sin.

Mortal sin requires consent of the will toward a grave disorder, i.e. lust

Just seeing a picture without dwelling on it in order to arouse lust, isn’t a sin

Jim
 
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