Not a sin if you don't believe it should be?

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andrewp13

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Hey!

I recently read something that kind of struck me and bothered me. It said that if a Catholic or Christian KNOWS that the church believes something is sinful, but personally does not believe that it should be a sin, then they are not sinning. For example, if one knows that watching pornography is wrong to the church, but they do not believe that it should be considered a sin, then it is not sinful. I’m assuming this is completely false. What are your thoughts on this?
 
andrewp13 said:
Hey!

I recently read something that kind of struck me and bothered me. It said that if a Catholic or Christian KNOWS that the church believes something is sinful, but personally does not believe that it should be a sin, then they are not sinning. For example, if one knows that watching pornography is wrong to the church, but they do not believe that it should be considered a sin, then it is not sinful. I’m assuming this is completely false. What are your thoughts on this?
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That is relative morality. And it is wrong.

Are you sure you didn’t read that if someone doesn’t know it’s a sin, then they haven’t sinned?
 
There has been a lot said here of late regarding sin, with some emphasing that “it’s only a sin if you know its a sin”.

While one could appreciate the necessary economy in such a statement, belief and teaching, it seems too convenient at times to rely on such when a proper and regular examination of conscience, which necessarily reflects on Church teaching, should not render a practicing Catholic ignorant in regard to personal acts that are indeed sinful.

Recognizing that is not quite what was referred to in the OP, I’ve read more statements along these lines here of late than suggestions that some activity is not sinful, despite clear Catholic teaching to the contrary.
 
Well, Adam and Eve didn’t think that having a bite off that fruit of the tree of knowledge should be a sin either, yet here we all are- out of Eden and…dying. 🤷 God disagreed.

Even that attitude itself (It shouldn’t be a sin, so I’ll go ahead and do it) is itself sinful- Prideful. The sin in the garden involved just this kind of thinking- ‘‘I should be able to chose my own right and wrong’’. Thing is, if you’ve been told by the rightful authority just what is right and wrong, you’re bound to obey it under ordinary (that is, if its not unreasonable or impossible) circumstances.
 
Whatever you read is incorrect – a sin is a sin whether we want to believe it is one or not. God is the one who makes that decision, not us. For example: I have a friend who is a Christian and completely supports homosexual marriages and relationships and doesn’t see that as a sin because SHE chooses not to see it as one. I could point out Bible verses to her all day but her mind is made up that it isn’t a sin in her world.

We cannot pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe and accept, and we cannot pick and choose what is a sin and what isn’t. God tells us so that we don’t HAVE to be left to our own guesses. 😉
 
andrewp13 said:
Hey!

I recently read something that kind of struck me and bothered me. It said that if a Catholic or Christian KNOWS that the church believes something is sinful, but personally does not believe that it should be a sin, then they are not sinning. For example, if one knows that watching pornography is wrong to the church, but they do not believe that it should be considered a sin, then it is not sinful. I’m assuming this is completely false. What are your thoughts on this?
Click to expand...
There is the gravity of the matter which is part of the definition of the objective sin, and then there is the opinion of it’s sinfulness by the person, and then there is the intention when it occurs. So the culpability for an objective sin can vary in a particular instance.

Cases to consider:
It is grave matter and you were taught that,
It is grave matter and you are ignorant of it, through indifference,
It is grave matter and you are ignorant of it, by no fault of your own.

Culpability may be mitigated by some factor such that the sin of grave matter may not be a serious sin.

The personal opinion of it’s sinfulness by the person is irrelevant when they are aware of what the Church teaches and that it is grave matter. But that could be considered a grave sin in itself: to disregard the certain teaching of the Church.
 
andrewp13 said:
Hey!

I recently read something that kind of struck me and bothered me. It said that if a Catholic or Christian KNOWS that the church believes something is sinful, but personally does not believe that it should be a sin, then they are not sinning. For example, if one knows that watching pornography is wrong to the church, but they do not believe that it should be considered a sin, then it is not sinful. I’m assuming this is completely false. What are your thoughts on this?
Click to expand...
You’re right, that’s completely false. Sin is always sin.

The variable is culpability - someone without the required level of knowledge may be less culpable for the sin, if they commit it - but someone who knows what the Church teaches can’t be considered “ignorant.”

In any case, ignorance is not a virtue. We should learn, know, and do what is right, and avoid what is wrong.
 
Vico said:
There is the gravity of the matter which is part of the definition of the objective sin, and then there is the opinion of it’s sinfulness by the person, and then there is the intention when it occurs. So the culpability for an objective sin can vary in a particular instance.

Cases to consider:
It is grave matter and you were taught that,
It is grave matter and you are ignorant of it, through indifference,
It is grave matter and you are ignorant of it, by no fault of your own.

Culpability may be mitigated by some factor such that the sin of grave matter may not be a serious sin.

The personal opinion of it’s sinfulness by the person is irrelevant when they are aware of what the Church teaches and that it is grave matter. But that could be considered a grave sin in itself: to disregard the certain teaching of the Church.
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God expects us to follow our lights as we know them.
Our lights may be wrong (e.g. invincable ignorance) in which case, as you say, the behaviour is wrong but the subject may not be sinning either mortally or venially (e.g. Oedipus) in his personal moral act.

It is hard to understand why one would call oneself a Catholic and yet not humbly obey a clear teaching of the Church on a grave matter (even if one sincerely believed it to be OK).

So the real moral sin for such a sincere person, if that were possible, is as you say the disobedience to the Church. Hard to know whether this is venial or mortal, its all very gray.
 
andrewp13 said:
Hey!

I recently read something that kind of struck me and bothered me. It said that if a Catholic or Christian KNOWS that the church believes something is sinful, but personally does not believe that it should be a sin, then they are not sinning. For example, if one knows that watching pornography is wrong to the church, but they do not believe that it should be considered a sin, then it is not sinful. I’m assuming this is completely false. What are your thoughts on this?
Click to expand...
Like some of the other posters already said, sin is sin.

I think what you are referring to is that we should always follow our conscience. For example, there are many times throughout Church history where the church wasn’t always acting Christian, or so to speak. Many of the saints were bold in their discernment of the Truth, even if it meant standing up to Church authorities… some even being martyred because of it.

That’s very different than saying, “I don’t think porn is a sin, so for me, it’s not a sin.” The person is making a decision based on a lack of education, denial of the truth, and absence of discernment. When the saints stood up and made a claim, it was lead by the Holy Spirit, not some personal opinion.
 
andrewp13 said:
Hey!

I recently read something that kind of struck me and bothered me. It said that if a Catholic or Christian KNOWS that the church believes something is sinful, but personally does not believe that it should be a sin, then they are not sinning.
Click to expand...
Hi Andrewp13. Welcome to CAF. I just received a link to an article from the Pope John Center for the Study of Ethics in health care. The article is called “What is Conscience Anyway?” I think that it is quite helpful in addressing your question. May God bless you and all who visit or join CAF. Amen.

xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/13357797/1525349191/name/09-24-12%20CML%20Conscience%20Beauregard.pdf
 
What you’re describing is moral relativism. God’s Word doesn’t apply to only certain people
 
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