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ChibiViolet
Guest
Is it of grave matter to willfully enjoy/bask in a feeling that comes from a demon? I was told by a priest that that’s not the case, but does anyone know differently?
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Trishie
Guest
**I think you may have given the priest to understand you as meaning," is it sinful to have a temptation?" **
To have a temptation and not to ‘bask’ in it but to immediately reject it is not sinful.
Temptation is a natural consequence of being a human who is, as most of us are, fallible human beings, with emotions, and with a natural desire for self-gratification, which we are required to order to God’s will and the commandments. Feelings are not sinful in themselves, but our choices and actions based upon these emotions, can be sinful.
But when we reject the temptation to be lustful, unforgiving, uncharitable etc, if we’re wise and able to, we should go and do something practical and good, so as to remove the temptation for awareness and do good instead of what is wrong.
To bask in, like basking in the sun, indicates that the person remains in and enjoys the emotions of the temptation, in which case it is sinful.
There is culpability if a person knowingly and willingly puts themselves in the way of temptation.
We must do our best to avoid occasions of sin, not to remain in them, and to reject them, preferably within wise and good actions and prayers. Whatever habits we have cultivated that lead us to sin…we need to change our direction and create good habits and tendencies.
To fail to do so does involve some culpability.
To have a temptation and not to ‘bask’ in it but to immediately reject it is not sinful.
Temptation is a natural consequence of being a human who is, as most of us are, fallible human beings, with emotions, and with a natural desire for self-gratification, which we are required to order to God’s will and the commandments. Feelings are not sinful in themselves, but our choices and actions based upon these emotions, can be sinful.
But when we reject the temptation to be lustful, unforgiving, uncharitable etc, if we’re wise and able to, we should go and do something practical and good, so as to remove the temptation for awareness and do good instead of what is wrong.
To bask in, like basking in the sun, indicates that the person remains in and enjoys the emotions of the temptation, in which case it is sinful.
There is culpability if a person knowingly and willingly puts themselves in the way of temptation.
We must do our best to avoid occasions of sin, not to remain in them, and to reject them, preferably within wise and good actions and prayers. Whatever habits we have cultivated that lead us to sin…we need to change our direction and create good habits and tendencies.
To fail to do so does involve some culpability.
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triumphguy
Guest
Go with what your priest told you - he knows more of the story than we do.
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JRKH
Guest
Go with what your priest told you - he knows more of the story than we do.
While Trishie has provided good information, it is not up to us to counter what your priest told you. He knows you and your spiritual situation / maturity better than we do.
Peace
James
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mountee
Guest
If you have already asked a priest you have to trust in his response.
J
JRKH
Guest
In all fairness I must disagree with this. One does not have to trust the response. Priests are human and liable to error - or there can be misunderstanding, confusion between what is asked and what is heard etc.
I don’t say that you discount the response, but if a person gets an answer and it just doesn’t satisfy then one should probe further… That is what the OP needs to do with this priest.
Peace
James
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ChibiViolet
Guest
Actually, I remember now that I only asked him if it’s of grave matter to allow a feeling from a demon to remain instead of trying to push it away because you are enjoying…Sometimes, when I sense demons, I feel this odd attraction to them and want to be open to them, but then choose only to be open to the feeling their giving me (but more often I’ll fight it as usually I feel it longer when I do that and it starts to feel like a game, except when I’m praying of course; then though pleasant, I find it more of a distraction than anything else.)
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JRKH
Guest
You are playing with very dangerous fire here…and it is a grave matter…
This is no “game”. At least not one that you can win…such things will only entice you further and further until they have complete control over you.
You need to go into this matter further and more fully with your priest.
Peace
James
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ChibiViolet
Guest
I know there’s no “game,” but spiritual/emotional fighting can feel like a game (and not a win or lose game either–just a fun one in this case…although I do know it isn’t good to toy with temptations…) If I’m only fighting a feeling from a demon, why is it so dangerous, especially since I’m not seeking to do this in the first place? Also, I don’t see how that’s of grave matter, but the basking might be and that’s what I’m trying to find out.
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JRKH
Guest
But you see your first mistake is in thinking that it is not a “win or lose” game. It most definitely is!! And every time you play it - you lose…Whether you know it or not.
If I’m only fighting a feeling from a demon, why is it so dangerous, especially since I’m not seeking to do this in the first place? Also, I don’t see how that’s of grave matter, but the basking might be and that’s what I’m trying to find out.
Demons - sin - “feeling from a demon” - temptations - whatever you want to call them are not things to be “fought”…or to be “basked in”…or treated as a game in any sense…nor should any “fun” be derived from it.
Your very soul is at stake…Is that “grave” enough for you?
Instead, these things are to be dismissed out of hand - laughed at and told that you have no use for them - then simply but firmly turn to Christ and seek you joy, your “fun” in serving only Him through prayer, and action in Love for others.
This is my view based on what you have told us. It seems to me that you recognize the serious danger or else you would have easily accepted what your priest told you.
Instead you have come here and asked for other opinions…You know its bad and dangerous…you just don’t want to accept it and yet you can’t dismiss it either.
This - in itself - shows the damage that comes from dabbling the way you are.
Reject this pleasure. Do not “bask” in it. Instead…Dismiss the demon an all of his enticements out of hand and immediately return to serving your Lord.
Peace
James
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ChibiViolet
Guest
Demons - sin - “feeling from a demon” - temptations - whatever you want to call them are not things to be “fought”…or to be “basked in”…or treated as a game in any sense…nor should any “fun” be derived from it.
Your very soul is at stake…Is that “grave” enough for you?
Instead, these things are to be dismissed out of hand - laughed at and told that you have no use for them - then simply but firmly turn to Christ and seek you joy, your “fun” in serving only Him through prayer, and action in Love for others.
This is my view based on what you have told us. It seems to me that you recognize the serious danger or else you would have easily accepted what your priest told you.
Instead you have come here and asked for other opinions…You know its bad and dangerous…you just don’t want to accept it and yet you can’t dismiss it either.
This - in itself - shows the damage that comes from dabbling the way you are.
Reject this pleasure. Do not “bask” in it. Instead…Dismiss the demon an all of his enticements out of hand and immediately return to serving your Lord.
There is no “game” at all–only a feeling of something like a game. My soul is not at stake here, except maybe in the basking, which I don’t even do often. I* don’t do any of this often.* The fighting of a feeling is not even the point here and is not what I was asking about in the first place, which is why I put it in parenthesis.
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JRKH
Guest
Well it appears that we are not communicating very well…and the bolding seems to indicate that I have upset you. Not my intention…
So I will simply go back to my original comment and suggest that if you have further concerns in the matter, take them up with your confessor.
Peace
James
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ChibiViolet
Guest
No, and I didn’t bold it, but made it another font because the format got messed up and I wanted it to be clear when it was me speaking so no one would be confused…I know it was not your intention to upset me and I am not upset…Perhaps we do misunderstand each other, but I don’t agree with what it seems like your’re trying to say.
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trials
Guest
If you don’t mind me butting in here, I used to have an interest in the occult, it began as a child, reading children’s ghost stories, as I got older watching paranormal TV shows, then taking an interest in mediums - all the while I thought I was just innocently curious, and that my interest in all these things was not harmful to my faith - which at the time was very superficial. In fact I even believed for a while that the two were compatible since surely mediums, etc. only confirmed the existence of an afterlife…
However, I soon realised that behind the facade of what was branded as entertainment - Buffy the Vampire Show, horror movies like theExorcist, ghost hunting shows, mediums supposedly reassuring grieving relatives that their loved ones were “at peace”…behind all that was something sinister. It had no other name but Satan. And when I tried to extricate myself from what I thought was just an innocent pastime, I had a battle on my hands with pure evil - let’s call a spade a spade.
What I had been doing was not trusting God, I had bitten the forbidden fruit and it tasted interesting, it made me want to eat more, but all that disobedience was leading me to a dead end. I was on my way to hell, of that I am in no doubt.
So I delved further into my faith, my prayer to combat what I knew was attacking me, and it was only when I did this that I understood Satan had been leading me down a path away from God. I cannot stress enough how clear this is to me now. Even what I considered to be innocent curiosity - it wasn’t, if I’m honest. These unexplained paranormal things are very exciting of course compared to an hour spent in prayer - because they are gift-wrapped as innocent entertainment - but they’re not. They have one purpose behind them, which even the makers of the shows are unaware of, and that is to lead souls away from God.
You may need help to get out of this interest in all things occult. But you definitely need to get out of it. For the sake of your soul. You may think I’m over-reacting but I promise you I’m not - a seemingly benign interest in the occult is anything but. The devil wants you and you have to fight back. How? Pray more, immerse yourself in your faith, replace all these occult books and films with Catholic spiritual ones, be curious about your faith instead of about the occult, read the Catechism and you will understand why this path is so offensive to God. Your mind should be given over entirely to God, not distracted by what is not of God.
I’m only giving out this advice because I was so immersed in the occult without even realising it, and because when I tried to stop it, Satan tried to frighten the life out of me. You may need extra help because of your past interest in Satan, but pursue that help if that’s what’s needed, don’t assume you are in control. Your posts tell me otherwise, you are anything but. Sorry, I’ll pray for you.
However, I soon realised that behind the facade of what was branded as entertainment - Buffy the Vampire Show, horror movies like theExorcist, ghost hunting shows, mediums supposedly reassuring grieving relatives that their loved ones were “at peace”…behind all that was something sinister. It had no other name but Satan. And when I tried to extricate myself from what I thought was just an innocent pastime, I had a battle on my hands with pure evil - let’s call a spade a spade.
What I had been doing was not trusting God, I had bitten the forbidden fruit and it tasted interesting, it made me want to eat more, but all that disobedience was leading me to a dead end. I was on my way to hell, of that I am in no doubt.
So I delved further into my faith, my prayer to combat what I knew was attacking me, and it was only when I did this that I understood Satan had been leading me down a path away from God. I cannot stress enough how clear this is to me now. Even what I considered to be innocent curiosity - it wasn’t, if I’m honest. These unexplained paranormal things are very exciting of course compared to an hour spent in prayer - because they are gift-wrapped as innocent entertainment - but they’re not. They have one purpose behind them, which even the makers of the shows are unaware of, and that is to lead souls away from God.
You may need help to get out of this interest in all things occult. But you definitely need to get out of it. For the sake of your soul. You may think I’m over-reacting but I promise you I’m not - a seemingly benign interest in the occult is anything but. The devil wants you and you have to fight back. How? Pray more, immerse yourself in your faith, replace all these occult books and films with Catholic spiritual ones, be curious about your faith instead of about the occult, read the Catechism and you will understand why this path is so offensive to God. Your mind should be given over entirely to God, not distracted by what is not of God.
I’m only giving out this advice because I was so immersed in the occult without even realising it, and because when I tried to stop it, Satan tried to frighten the life out of me. You may need extra help because of your past interest in Satan, but pursue that help if that’s what’s needed, don’t assume you are in control. Your posts tell me otherwise, you are anything but. Sorry, I’ll pray for you.
C
ChibiViolet
Guest
I pray a lot actually and attend daily Mass. My number one interest is God and I do trust in Him.
Thank you for praying for me. What I most need to work on is Chastity (but that’s a rather embarrassing issue so I don’t talk about it much.)
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Troy_Stamper
Guest
It is spiritually unhealthy to “bask/enjoy” anything that a demon presents to you. I don’t know all the circumstances however Jesus said "anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Mt. 5:28, NAB). So using that verse as an example it is safe to say that it is a grave matter to dwell on anything sinful. Under most circumstances thoughts are not a sin in themselves however there are some that are. A lot of our thoughts come to us without our consent and should be dismissed if sinful. Just as a suggestion it would be best to take your mind elsewhere by quoting a verse or something like that. God bless you.
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