Occasions of sin

[PeteZaHut]

Is it a sin to allow yourself an occasion of sin even if you don’t committ the sin that it leads to?

 

[passus]

Is it a sin to allow yourself an occasion of sin even if you don’t committ the sin that it leads to?

You mean like…an ex-raging alcoholic going to a restaurant that he knows serves alcohol, taking a seat at the bar no less, and then resolving not to order any?

It can be and it can also increase culpability for a grave sin if one indeed put himself in that “sinful situation” with full knowledge.

 

[Pug]

Is it a sin to allow yourself an occasion of sin even if you don’t committ the sin that it leads to?

You said “allow yourself”. Hmmm. This sort of suggests to me that you are doing it to get oh so close, but not quite there. Sort of like you want to get a good whiff of the lady’s perfume, and to savor it, but not go as far as to look at her. It doesn’t sound like duty put you in the situation or something and you couldn’t avoid it.

I wouldn’t do it. Sounds like a bad idea to me. Firmly reject it and move on.

(If you have two good-for-the-average-person alternative courses of action before you, both of which you are perfectly free in regards to, and only one of which is a proximate occasion to mortal sin and represents a genuine/serious threat to your moral virtue, then it may even be grave matter not to avoid the one and pick the other.)

But remember, many occasions of sin are remote, and you just can’t avoid everything on earth unless you lock yourself in chains and press the off button on your brain. Don’t go nuts here thinking you can’t do anything at all.

 

[PeteZaHut]

That’s more of what I meant was in regards to remote occasions of sin.

 

[Pug]

That’s more of what I meant was in regards to remote occasions of sin.

Ah. Usually there is no obligation to avoid a remote occasion. So, the grocery store, the mall, the park, the theater, etc. are all fine places to go. Just don’t go to the adult bookstore.

Of course, what is proximate and what is remote will vary for each person. Fit my simple example to your own personal situation. Some people find different things more or less likely to tempt them.