Lord's Name in Vain - Did I sin?

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dizzy_dave

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I had a very bad day today, I was busy at work, drove a car home with no A/C, . My wife then informs me we need to go to Wal-mart tonight and I had a fit, then my son didn’t listen to me when I told him to do something, I grew more and more irritated. Some little stupid thing made me snap and I said G*d Da** it.
  1. Was it a grave sin?
    • I know it’s against the commandment, so I guess so.
  2. Did I know it was seriously wrong?
    • Overall yes, I wasn’t really thinking about it at the time I said it. It just came out.
  3. Did I give full consent?
    • I guess so I said it.
And on top of all that I may be guilty of the capital sin of Serious anger towards my son, I threw his plastic ruler and it broke in a million pieces. I’m such A jerk!!!

I normally go to mass on Thursday mornings so if I’m in a state of mortal sin I won’t go (can’t take communion.)

Thanks, God bless.
 
I 've also have had an ongoing temper problem for years, no I am not getting help for it. I can’t really afford a shrink.

Although I know I need one. I have anxiety and depression too!
 
This is only my own humble opinion, but it seems you weren’t in complete control when you said what you said, so it wouldn’t be a mortal sin.
 
If you’re on a Catholic message board asking this question, then I would say that your conscience is giving you your answer.

Pete
 
go to mass,not communion, & seek reconciliation ASAP.

that’s what I do;)
 
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dizzy_dave:
Some little stupid thing made me snap…
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That right there automatically makes me say “venial”. One of the best priests I know explained this to me once. Use of bad language, in most people, is much more an imperfection than it is a sin. Because most people don’t actually mean what they say when they say it. If it was just being used as a responsive explative, then you didn’t sin. It wasn’t intentional. But since it’s certainly not a good thing, you still should work to correct it. Next time you think about it, just try substituting in other pointless and unoffensive explatives until you get used to it. Forming a new habit like that only takes about two weeks anyway.
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dizzy_dave:
  1. Did I know it was seriously wrong?
    • Overall yes, I wasn’t really thinking about it at the time I said it. It just came out.
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You have to consciously acknowledge that it was a serious sin before you do it for it to be serious. This step is actually called “sufficient reflection”…and for a good reason. To commit a mortal sin, you must intend to do so before you do it. That’s usually why it’s serious.
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dizzy_dave:
  1. Did I give full consent?
    • I guess so I said it.
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But if you didn’t consciously give consent, then it doesn’t count. Unconcious actions or inclinations are not inherently sinful…they only become so if you deliberately act on them. It has to be an intentional action, not just an action. Why else would this requirement exist?
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dizzy_dave:
And on top of all that I may be guilty of the capital sin of Serious anger towards my son, I threw his plastic ruler and it broke in a million pieces.
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I seriously doubt that that counts. You weren’t trying to kill him, were you? 😛

Main point is this: If you didn’t sit there and say to yourself, “This is seriously wrong (serious matter), I know this is seriously wrong (sufficient reflection), and I’m going to do it anyway (full consent of the will).”…then it wasn’t a mortal sin.

Diagnosis: I would say probably not even a sin, venial sin at the absolute most.
A) “I grew more and more irritated. Some little stupid thing made me snap…”
B) “I wasn’t really thinking about it at the time I said it. It just came out.”
Both big indicators that you didn’t have sufficient reflection OR full consent of the will.

Advice: DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT. Seriously. Take a big breath, and exhale. If you didn’t intentionally intend to offend Jesus, then you’re most probably OK. Say a few prayers asking Jesus, Mary, and your guardian angel for the grace to avoid such imperfections ever again in the future, and move on with your life. Recieving Holy Communion in the state of grace (no mortal sin) with sincere sorrow for all past sins and the intention of avoiding serious sin in the future (and you came here, so yeah) is actually enough to remove all venial sins from your soul anyway. And please feel free to also speak with a priest in addition to all of that if it would really make you feel more comfortable. Maybe even print this response out, and have him check it over. I think you’re good. 👍 Hope this response helps! 🙂
 
Did you accidently say it while being mad. You cannot commit a mortal sin by accident. Also if it was said without thinking about it, I don’t believe it was a mortal sin. Ask an apologist would be a good forum to post on with this because they would give you a good answer. I’m sure other people have the same question as well.

matt
 
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dizzy_dave:
I normally go to mass on Thursday mornings so if I’m in a state of mortal sin I won’t go (can’t take communion.)
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I’d say not mortal, maybe venial, for the reasons given above. But I wanted to add that, even if it were mortal, that’s not a reason NOT to go to mass. Just don’t take communion. In fact, I’ve found the most beneficial Masses to be the ones where I couldn’t take communion due to mortal sin. I really had to sit there and think about my actions and the separation that they caused.
 
I think the anger is the sin to confess. I would say it is mortal, but that is only my opinion. The using Gods name in vain was a result of that.
 
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jimmy:
I think the anger is the sin to confess. I would say it is mortal, but that is only my opinion. The using Gods name in vain was a result of that.
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But if the anger wasn’t deliberate…then it can’t be a mortal sin for that person.
Throwing your kid’s ruler out of anger is not inherently sinful. The fact that it “shattered into a million pieces”, although I find such vivid details humorous, cannot contribute to the overall seriousness of the sin. Did throw the ruler with the sole intention of destroying it by causing it to shatter against the wall? Or was it simply the nearest object within your reach? Were you trying to break it, or was that an unintended side effect that you wish had never happened?

anger (Latin: ango, distress)
A strongly exciting emotion aroused by an evil that is present but not acquiesced in. Though commonly a self-regarding emotion, it may be aroused in behalf of others. Anger is not purely painful as it includes the agreeable consciousness of energetic reaction against evil, and is not of itself morally evil, but may be at times a high moral force in the form of virtuous indignation, called “just” anger. It needs restraint as it can easily become inordinate and lead to a purpose of revenge or pass into hatred and it is then a vice.

Anger can become a serious sin, but it has to be serious. Like really serious. Like when it ceases to become only anger, and becomes a hatred or lust for revenge that is fueled by your anger. And then you have to have sufficient reflection (in which you conciously recognize the evil before commiting it), AND full consent of the will (in which you decide to do it anyway, regardless of how sinful it might be). As marty1818 said: You cannot commit a mortal sin by accident. And this is true. That’s why a mortal sin is what it is. A serious and willful transgression of God’s Law. It involves full knowledge and intent of the will to commit the sin.

Something to improve upon, certainly, but not necessarily a serious sin. Next time you find your self in the same situation, try to “wake up” and step back to reality and re-assess your situation. Maybe say a few prayers for extra grace to overcome the temptation. But if you did all of that, and still went through with the unjust action, then it would become a sin.
 
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masterjedi747:
But if the anger wasn’t deliberate…then it can’t be a mortal sin for that person.
Throwing your kid’s ruler out of anger is not inherently sinful. The fact that it “shattered into a million pieces”, although I find such vivid details humorous, cannot contribute to the overall seriousness of the sin. Did throw the ruler with the sole intention of destroying it by causing it to shatter against the wall? Or was it simply the nearest object within your reach? Were you trying to break it, or was that an unintended side effect that you wish had never happened?

anger (Latin: ango, distress)
A strongly exciting emotion aroused by an evil that is present but not acquiesced in. Though commonly a self-regarding emotion, it may be aroused in behalf of others. Anger is not purely painful as it includes the agreeable consciousness of energetic reaction against evil, and is not of itself morally evil, but may be at times a high moral force in the form of virtuous indignation, called “just” anger. It needs restraint as it can easily become inordinate and lead to a purpose of revenge or pass into hatred and it is then a vice.

Anger can become a serious sin, but it has to be serious. Like really serious. Like when it ceases to become only anger, and becomes a hatred or lust for revenge that is fueled by your anger. And then you have to have sufficient reflection (in which you conciously recognize the evil before commiting it), AND full consent of the will (in which you decide to do it anyway, regardless of how sinful it might be). As marty1818 said: You cannot commit a mortal sin by accident. And this is true. That’s why a mortal sin is what it is. A serious and willful transgression of God’s Law. It involves full knowledge and intent of the will to commit the sin.

Something to improve upon, certainly, but not necessarily a serious sin. Next time you find your self in the same situation, try to “wake up” and step back to reality and re-assess your situation. Maybe say a few prayers for extra grace to overcome the temptation. But if you did all of that, and still went through with the unjust action, then it would become a sin.
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The thing is anger is based on emotion. It is one of the seven deadly sins. I think that this would be a sin. I am not talking about the ruler, but letting yourself get so worked up that you lash out would be. No anger is deliberate. No one decides they are going to be angry, they just are, but you can control it.
 
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dizzy_dave:
I had a very bad day today, I was busy at work, drove a car home with no A/C, . My wife then informs me we need to go to Wal-mart tonight and I had a fit, then my son didn’t listen to me when I told him to do something, I grew more and more irritated. Some little stupid thing made me snap and I said G*d Da** it.
  1. Was it a grave sin?
    • I know it’s against the commandment, so I guess so.
  2. Did I know it was seriously wrong?
    • Overall yes, I wasn’t really thinking about it at the time I said it. It just came out.
  3. Did I give full consent?
    • I guess so I said it.
And on top of all that I may be guilty of the capital sin of Serious anger towards my son, I threw his plastic ruler and it broke in a million pieces. I’m such A jerk!!!

I normally go to mass on Thursday mornings so if I’m in a state of mortal sin I won’t go (can’t take communion.)

Thanks, God bless.
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I asked this same question before, because out of nervousness I would say “Oh God” in response to someone saying something shocking or silly. I have pretty much fixed this and even if I do say it, I took the advice of someone here who said “If you say it just finish what you started “Oh God I am sorry for having offended thee…”.” Wonderful advice and I thank that person.

What worries me is your temper. I grew up with parents who had bad tempers and fought alot, that included throwing things and breaking things and hitting. I have come to see that I now have that same problem, I didn’t learn to cope with things in a different manner and so it’s easy for me to lose my temper and kick the wall or hit my fist on my desk.

That is neither a healthy or morally sound response towards anger. I beg you to learn to cope with your anger because you are giving very bad signs to your son. I know I lived in fear of my Dad (and I still do) always afraid of his next lash out. I don’t go to him for support or help, because he scares me. Is this how you want your son to respond to you?
 
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jimmy:
The thing is anger is based on emotion. It is one of the seven deadly sins. I think that this would be a sin.
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Yes, but it is not inherently sinful. It is just an emotion. But we still have to be careful. Do you remember when Jesus got really angry and upset at the people for selling things like a marketplace in the Temple area? Anger itself is just an emotion. Jesus had just anger and took just action against an evil that was being commited. Jesus could not have sinned. He also felt all kinds of other emotions. That’s just part of His humanity. To be human is to have emotions. But it’s when you intentionally act upon your anger in an unjust manner that it becomes sinful.
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jimmy:
I am not talking about the ruler, but letting yourself get so worked up that you lash out would be. No anger is deliberate. No one decides they are going to be angry, they just are, but you can control it.
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Alright. But you still have to examine the situation to see if you deliberately “let yourself get so worked up about it”, or if it just happened and you’re not so sure why. If you weren’t consciously choosing and allowing yourself to slowly get worked up about it, then it wouldn’t be mortal.
 
Thanks for the advice, I do love my son and my other kids and wife. I had no excuse to do what I did. My Dad was also the way I am, very mad and explosive and we did not have a very close relationship, he died about 10 years ago, before I married and had kids.
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Shinobu:
I asked this same question before, because out of nervousness I would say “Oh God” in response to someone saying something shocking or silly. I have pretty much fixed this and even if I do say it, I took the advice of someone here who said “If you say it just finish what you started “Oh God I am sorry for having offended thee…”.” Wonderful advice and I thank that person.

What worries me is your temper. I grew up with parents who had bad tempers and fought alot, that included throwing things and breaking things and hitting. I have come to see that I now have that same problem, I didn’t learn to cope with things in a different manner and so it’s easy for me to lose my temper and kick the wall or hit my fist on my desk.

That is neither a healthy or morally sound response towards anger. I beg you to learn to cope with your anger because you are giving very bad signs to your son. I know I lived in fear of my Dad (and I still do) always afraid of his next lash out. I don’t go to him for support or help, because he scares me. Is this how you want your son to respond to you?
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dizzy_dave:
I had a very bad day today,… I’m such A jerk!!! … God bless.
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Hey Dave…don’t be so hard on yourself. We have ALL been there at one time or another.
~ Kathy ~
 
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