Mortal or Venial?

  • Thread starter Thread starter SallyS
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

SallyS

Guest
If a person were to commit a mortal sin while intoxicated would that make the sin venial? Would you be able to fully consent to what you are doing if your judgement was severely impaired? Thank you for your help and thoughts.
 
One would have to commit the grave offense, know it was a grave offense, and decide to do it anyway. If those conditions still apply when someone is drunk, it would still be a mortal sin. I think it’s a gray area, and the person should talk to the priest in confession about it. I think it’s always best to mention something questionable to the priest. Then it can be addressed either way.
 
One may commit a serious sin while drunk, that sin may be mortal or venial, it should be discussed in confession (because getting drunk in and of itself is a serious sin).
 
Ask your priest, but I think if your seriously trashed it DOES effect full knowledge and consent. That doesn’t mean you should walk around in a state of intoxication just as added protection, however. Remember-common sense does apply. Did you have a few too many by accident and then do something stupid? Or, where you drinking to get drunk so you COULD do something stupid?
 
Rascalking said:
Ask your priest, but I think if your seriously trashed it DOES effect full knowledge and consent. That doesn’t mean you should walk around in a state of intoxication just as added protection, however. Remember-common sense does apply. Did you have a few too many by accident and then do something stupid? Or, where you drinking to get drunk so you COULD do something stupid?
Click to expand...
One other possibility, mixing alcohol with a medication without knowing the side effects.

I remember once I had extensive periodontal surgery done, that was quite painful afterwards. I was given a powerful painkiller and took it with a shot of whiskey. Actually I went right past “drunk” to “KO”, did not pass go, did not collect $200 😃

Needless to say I didn’t feel much pain and certainly I didn’t intend to intoxicate myself, one shot is not normally an amount to get drunk! I was very surprised at the effect.
 
OraLabora said:
One other possibility, mixing alcohol with a medication without knowing the side effects.

I remember once I had extensive periodontal surgery done, that was quite painful afterwards. I was given a powerful painkiller and took it with a shot of whiskey. Actually I went right past “drunk” to “KO”, did not pass go, did not collect $200 😃

Needless to say I didn’t feel much pain and certainly I didn’t intend to intoxicate myself, one shot is not normally an amount to get drunk! I was very surprised at the effect.
Click to expand...
My friend,let me just say I know exactly what you mean!
 
As to drinking in itself:

Drinking alcohol is good in moderation. (God gave men wine to gladden men’s hearts…etc)

If it begins to be too much…it becomes a venial sin (unless for other reasons it becomes serious).

Drunkness can be grave matter for mortal sin.

See here how: catholicreference.net/index.cfm?id=33231

It becomes a mortal sin (grave sin, serious sin…mortal sin these all are interchangeable terms) though only when done with full knowledge and complete consent…

(of course driving is another story…)
 
I would suggest that if one knowingly over imbibes knowing it will impair his judgment he has already the knowledge of that he may sin gravely and is consenting to it. This probably fulfills the requirement for mortal sin. It may even be a mortal sin just to so over imbibe as to impair ones will whether or not it results in further sinful action.

It would seem equivalent to deliberately running over a large box in the road only to find out one has killed a child hiding in it. Killing is a grave matter, one consented to running over the box, and one knew, or should have known, that there was some remote possibility there was someone in the box.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top