Is this a Sin?

[M_Winters]

I am struggling with scrupulosity…

Today I went canoeing with my girlfriend and as I wished my Mother goodbye, she told me to make sure I wore my lifejacket. I gave her a look as in to say, “Are you kidding me”? I then left and found it to be quite hot and annoying to wear a lifejacket while canoeing in sometimes inch deep water (other times a few feet deep) while I am an eighteen year old young man and a fine swimmer.

Did I sin by removing my lifejacket and “disobeying” my Mother? Venial?

God bless!

 

[ZDHayden]

I am struggling with scrupulosity…

Today I went canoeing with my girlfriend and as I wished my Mother goodbye, she told me to make sure I wore my lifejacket. I gave her a look as in to say, “Are you kidding me”? I then left and found it to be quite hot and annoying to wear a lifejacket while canoeing in sometimes inch deep water (other times a few feet deep) while I am an eighteen year old young man and a fine swimmer.

Did I sin by removing my lifejacket and “disobeying” my Mother? Venial?

God bless!

Hardly. At worst, it is venial as far as I can tell. Obeying a parent is important, yes. But is disobedience on a small issue a cause for moral panic? Not unless such leads to worse strains of disobedience. It is certainly a step in the wrong direction - but does that make it sinful? I am not convinced, at least with the information provided. Perhaps someone else will have a differing opinion.

I say this also as someone who has canoed before - it does get rather warm in a lifejacket. Of course, as a person who cannot swim and who has the bad habit of tipping the canoe - the lifejacket stays firmly ON (sometimes helplessly floating down the deep end of a river is more invigorating than safely paddling along).

If in doubt, confess it the next time you go in for Confession. I have found that that is a good rule of thumb.

 

[starsmurf]

I can’t help on the sinful front but please don’t assume that because you’re a fine swimmer that you’ll be ok without a lifejacket. A guy at my school, a really good swimmer, made the same assumption. Sadly he drowned. Yes, they are a bit uncomfortable, yes they get warm, but the pain it would cause your family to lose you would be far, far worse. Please wear it next time.

 

[Catholic90]

Please wear it. Last weekend, 2 “fine swimmers” drowned in a lake near me. One was swimming to a friend’s boat 20 feet away and slipped away, and the other drowned in only 5 feet of water.

 

[Sarahforgiven]

I agree, wear your lifejacket. The new styles aren’t so bad

 

[Aelred_Minor]

Regarding obeying your mother, it depends on how old you are and how independent. Are you an adult or a minor? Living with her or not?

But really, do wear a lifejacket. Even if the water is not deep if it is moving or cold it is still dangerous.

Edit: I’ll leave my original post as it’s good general advice, but I did notice afterwards you said you are 18. To my mind there are two very different kinds of 18 year olds during any given summer, those who have been to college (or independent work) for a year, and those who just graduated high school and are still living at home. Which of the two probably makes a difference in terms of a parent’s authority over you.