Near occasion of mortal sin?

[ResoluteSheep]

When does one commit the mortal sin of putting oneself in a near occasion of mortal sin? This is a really bad example but:

Let’s say that drinking 250ml of alcohol is a mortal sin, and I decide to put myself in the near occasion of sin by drinking only 245ml of alcohol but never consenting to the idea of drinking 250ml as it is a mortal sin. Would this be considered a mortal sin? As in, I’m aware of the situation I’m putting myself into, but convincing myself that it is not mortal as long as I will always resist the temptation and not yield to the actual mortal sin itself. However, does one commit a mortal sin through putting his or herself into this near occasion of sin, even making a firm resolution not to commit the actual mortal sin itself? (Drinking 250ml of alcohol)

I understand that deliberately putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin is indeed mortally sinful. But what if through curiosity one decides to get into this near occasion of sin, but resolving firmly to not yield to the mortal sin itself. In this case, not drinking 250ml of alcohol

In addition, would putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin to test my resistance against it be considered a mortal sin as full consent of the will to commit the mortal sin is possibly absent?

 

[1Lord1Faith]

When does one commit the mortal sin of putting oneself in a near occasion of mortal sin? This is a really bad example but:

Let’s say that drinking 250ml of alcohol is a mortal sin, and I decide to put myself in the near occasion of sin by drinking only 245ml of alcohol but never consenting to the idea of drinking 250ml as it is a mortal sin. Would this be considered a mortal sin? As in, I’m aware of the situation I’m putting myself into, but convincing myself that it is not mortal as long as I will always resist the temptation and not yield to the actual mortal sin itself. However, does one commit a mortal sin through putting his or herself into this near occasion of sin, even making a firm resolution not to commit the actual mortal sin itself? (Drinking 250ml of alcohol)

I understand that deliberately putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin is indeed mortally sinful. But what if through curiosity one decides to get into this near occasion of sin, but resolving firmly to not yield to the mortal sin itself. In this case, not drinking 250ml of alcohol

In addition, would putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin to test my resistance against it be considered a mortal sin as full consent of the will to commit the mortal sin is possibly absent?

What your describing is called ‘being foolish’. It doesn’t always, but in this case it conveys immaturity which in turn reduces culpability.

 

[Stephen_says]

There’s an issue I think that’s pervasive where people view sins as concrete actions. Sins need to be viewed more as how you are cultivating your relationship with God.

Instead of thinking about drinking a certain amount of alcohol; maybe it would be more instructive to view it this way:

I am married. Would I be cheating on my wife in the worst possible way if I go out to eat with another woman? No. Would I still do it? No, because it would harm my relationship with my wife. It may not harm our relationship as much as if I were to kiss another woman, but I don’t want to harm this relationship at all, so why would I even come close?

What if I want to go out with this other woman just to prove that I can resist kissing her? Does that make any sense for me to do? No, that would be crazy!

Why would you want to come close to compromising your relationship with God? This isn’t about YOU and what YOU can get away with. It is about God and how He loves you and you love him. Think of God as your spouse and only think about how to please him, not how to get away with almost sinning.

Peace

 

[on_the_hill]

Is putting yourself in the near occasion of sin a sin itself? I don’t think it is. Then you’d get into a near occasion of sin, a near-near occasion of sin, a near-near-near occasion of sin…

 

[Bookcat]

(re-posting an older post of mine)

Occasions of sin…

There are all sorts of remote occasions of sin in life…all sorts of possible good things that one can do --where there is a possibility that some temptation and occasion of sin may come.

Normally we are not “obliged” to avoid “remote” occasions of sin.

We simply cannot avoid all such things nor are we usually obliged to do so. We would have to knock ourselves unconscious…

What then is a “near” occasion of mortal sin that we are to avoid especially?

It is not simply temptation (though let us seek to avoid temptations).

A *near occasion of mortal sin *is such where one would generally falls into mortal sin -one generally commits a mortal sin (or even always!)–or is what is likely to cause one to commit a particular mortal sin now. Due to the nature of thing itself or ones particular personal weakness.

Though there can at times be good reasons to be in them…ones confessor can guide one or those that cannot be avoided (involuntary) (necessary occasions…which one still tries to make more remote…)

Those are general principles one can apply. Ones confessor can guide one. In specifics.

So can it be sinful to put oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin? Or remain in one? Yes. (it may be venial or even mortal or yes even not a sin depending on the reasons and particular danger…talk with your confessor about this).

A clear example of when such would be a mortal sin could be -(with full knowledge and deliberate consent) when I am morally certain that if I put myself into circumstance Y that I will commit mortal sin Z. And I do so with that needed knowledge and consent for a mortal sin.

Ones confessor can advise.

 

[Bookcat]

Is putting yourself in the near occasion of sin a sin itself? I don’t think it is.

Yes it can be a sin. Not the sin it is the near occasion of but another sin. Yes it can be a sin.

 

[Bookcat]

(re-posting an older post of mine)

Occasions of sin…

There are all sorts of remote occasions of sin in life…all sorts of possible good things that one can do --where there is a possibility that some temptation and occasion of sin may come.

Normally we are not “obliged” to avoid “remote” occasions of sin.

We simply cannot avoid all such things nor are we usually obliged to do so. We would have to knock ourselves unconscious…

What then is a “near” occasion of mortal sin that we are to avoid especially?

It is not simply temptation (though let us seek to avoid temptations).

A *near occasion of mortal sin *is such where one would generally falls into mortal sin -one generally commits a mortal sin (or even always!)–or is what is likely to cause one to commit a particular mortal sin now. Due to the nature of thing itself or ones particular personal weakness.

Though there can at times be good reasons to be in them…ones confessor can guide one or those that cannot be avoided (involuntary) (necessary occasions…which one still tries to make more remote…)

Those are general principles one can apply. Ones confessor can guide one. In specifics.

So can it be sinful to put oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin? Or remain in one? Yes. (it may be venial or even mortal or yes even not a sin depending on the reasons and particular danger…talk with your confessor about this).

A clear example of when such would be a mortal sin could be -(with full knowledge and deliberate consent) when I am morally certain that if I put myself into circumstance Y that I will commit mortal sin Z. And I do so with that needed knowledge and consent for a mortal sin.

Ones confessor can advise…

 

[Reuben_J]

When does one commit the mortal sin of putting oneself in a near occasion of mortal sin? This is a really bad example but:

Let’s say that drinking 250ml of alcohol is a mortal sin, and I decide to put myself in the near occasion of sin by drinking only 245ml of alcohol but never consenting to the idea of drinking 250ml as it is a mortal sin. Would this be considered a mortal sin? As in, I’m aware of the situation I’m putting myself into, but convincing myself that it is not mortal as long as I will always resist the temptation and not yield to the actual mortal sin itself. However, does one commit a mortal sin through putting his or herself into this near occasion of sin, even making a firm resolution not to commit the actual mortal sin itself? (Drinking 250ml of alcohol)

I understand that deliberately putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin is indeed mortally sinful. But what if through curiosity one decides to get into this near occasion of sin, but resolving firmly to not yield to the mortal sin itself. In this case, not drinking 250ml of alcohol

In addition, would putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin to test my resistance against it be considered a mortal sin as full consent of the will to commit the mortal sin is possibly absent?

I agree that was a bad example simply because two seemingly similar situations may not be the same. They have to be assessed individually to be known whether they are mortal sin or not.

On the surface from what you said, I would think it is not a sin since you do not intend to commit it but then again I do not know the details what you actually were doing. I would say it is rather bizarre in what you are trying to do and if you ask me, I would tell you not to do that kind of experiment.

 

[dshix]

When does one commit the mortal sin of putting oneself in a near occasion of mortal sin? This is a really bad example but:

Let’s say that drinking 250ml of alcohol is a mortal sin, and I decide to put myself in the near occasion of sin by drinking only 245ml of alcohol but never consenting to the idea of drinking 250ml as it is a mortal sin. Would this be considered a mortal sin? As in, I’m aware of the situation I’m putting myself into, but convincing myself that it is not mortal as long as I will always resist the temptation and not yield to the actual mortal sin itself. However, does one commit a mortal sin through putting his or herself into this near occasion of sin, even making a firm resolution not to commit the actual mortal sin itself? (Drinking 250ml of alcohol)

I understand that deliberately putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin is indeed mortally sinful. But what if through curiosity one decides to get into this near occasion of sin, but resolving firmly to not yield to the mortal sin itself. In this case, not drinking 250ml of alcohol

In addition, would putting oneself into a near occasion of mortal sin to test my resistance against it be considered a mortal sin as full consent of the will to commit the mortal sin is possibly absent?

You example with the alcohol may not be an occasion of sin, because a person may just be making a calculated decision, using reason and knowledge, to enjoy drinking while avoiding getting drunk.

A better example of where it can be sinful to put oneself into the occasion of sin:
If you know of a site where OCCASIONALLY there appears a pornographic ad, and you begin to frequent the site with part of your motivation being that you MIGHT see it, that would be sinful. You would be intentionally putting yourself into the occasion (that is, the opportunity) of sinning (sin of lust). In a sense, you are sinning of lust already by putting yourself in the situation knowing what make come of it.

On the other hand, if you were to frequent the site because it had important information that you had a good reason to be viewing, that might not be a sin, since your motivation (or intention) for viewing the site was NOT to hopefully see porn, but rather, it is out of necessity. You TOLERATE the risk of the porn ad, intending to shield your eyes whenever it appears, but without intending to see it.

Hopefully that example helps.

 

[CountrySteve]

There’s an issue I think that’s pervasive where people view sins as concrete actions. Sins need to be viewed more as how you are cultivating your relationship with God.

Instead of thinking about drinking a certain amount of alcohol; maybe it would be more instructive to view it this way:

I am married. Would I be cheating on my wife in the worst possible way if I go out to eat with another woman? No. Would I still do it? No, because it would harm my relationship with my wife. It may not harm our relationship as much as if I were to kiss another woman, but I don’t want to harm this relationship at all, so why would I even come close?

What if I want to go out with this other woman just to prove that I can resist kissing her? Does that make any sense for me to do? No, that would be crazy!

Why would you want to come close to compromising your relationship with God? This isn’t about YOU and what YOU can get away with. It is about God and how He loves you and you love him. Think of God as your spouse and only think about how to please him, not how to get away with almost sinning.

Peace

Stephen said some excellent advice.