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TheOne33
Guest
I’ve been wondering about this for a while now. If one were to look inappropriately at one’s parents or siblings, would the gravity of the sin be increased to make it grave matter, or, would it remain venial?
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PeterJohn
Guest
Ask your priest
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TheOne33
Guest
And now I have to wait another 2-3 weeks to get a direct answer
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PrincepsAuguste
Guest
If you accept the biblical doctrine of human beginnings, I think you will be hard pressed to claim that God believes the feelings about one’s siblings are wholly unnatural. Many royal families also intermarried. As the necessity of such things has been lessened, modern society has condemned such acts. Lusting after anyone is natural, because all people give off hormones. The sin of lust is not increased in gravity by the person you look upon.
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WingsOfEagles
Guest
Odd, but I think lust is lust as far as degree of sin goes.
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ChibiViolet
Guest
I always assumed it would be worse…
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GreatBeliever
Guest
I think I would agree with that. Although I wonder if it would be worse to lust for someone’s spouse. Maybe I’m wrong, but isn’t that like coveting your neighbor? I don’t know.
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underacloud
Guest
It’s probably better and worse…
It’s better in that at least your sexual desire is directed appropriately.
It’s worse in that your spouse is the last person you should be reducing to a mere object.
Of course, that’s talking about the Catholic sense of lust (inordinate sexual desire), not the colloqial sense of strong sexual desire, which is fine per se if directed towards your spouse.
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thistle
Guest
Can you explain what you mean?
Are you asking about looking at parents or siblings in lustful way to get sexual pleasure from it? If so, that is lust and is a sin of grave matter and it doesn’t make any difference who is involved in the fantasy.
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PrincepsAuguste
Guest
I’ve never heard someone say it is grave merely to think unclean thoughts so long as you supress them before they lead to action in the form of masturbation or fornication. As long as you think the thoughts and are saying, “No, I shouldn’t think this,” it isn’t even sinful.
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thistle
Guest
You are missing the point. Impure thoughts popping into your head is not a conscious act and if you dismiss them quickly it is not a sin.
However, the OP is asking if looking at parents or siblings in an appropriate way is a sin. Looking inappropriately at anyone is a conscious act (why would you do this) and if dwelled upon for sexual arousal and pleasure it is a sin of grave matter.
The problem is that the OP has not given sufficient information to know what has gone on, even if it is a hypothetical question.
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PrincepsAuguste
Guest
Okay, thanks for clarifying your position thistle. I agree that the OP is quite ambiguous. However, sometimes a “look” is not a conscious action. If someone enters a room and you look at them out of curiosity, you may be stricken by their beauty and thus put in a state of lusting after them. As long as these thoughts are quelled, they are not sins, merely a weakness of human nature. I agree, however, that intentionally glancing back at someone to examine them and lust after them with no intention of stopping eventually becomes sinful.
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Holly3278
Guest
If you mean that you are lusting after your family members then yes, that is wrong. Whether or not it is grave matter, I am not certain.
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