Sinning in my thoughts

[psalm90]

My mind is nudging towards scrupulosity about sinning in my thoughts.

Thoughts are so wild, they are just “there.” In particular, I am most concerned about those snap judgments that I make when I see other persons – their appearance, their actions, their words (if I hear them), etc. including people on TV or in some encounter, walking down the street or how they are driving their car, etc. I have “opinions” about people on the radio and TV, for example especially if I don’t like their personality. Personality is a big issue for me.

What guidance does the Bible and/or the Church give us about this occasion of sin? and, when do the thoughts become sinful?

 

[PaulfromIowa]

Malicious thoughts become sinful when we dwell on them and encourage them. It can be difficult to avoid sinful thoughts. We can work to re-orient our minds away from pagan things to a Christian mindset.

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

Never lose sight of the fact you are a mere mortal ,
As we all are , you will have normal human thoughts &. Emotions

 

[MrsAngelala]

Instead of worrying about the definition and boundaries of the problem, maybe just solve it?

An easy and effective way to redirect those “judgy” thoughts is to pray for the person you’ve noticed: Lord Jesus, please draw this person closer to you today. It takes care of the thought problems, because suddenly you’re actively working for the good of that person - everyone everywhere all the time will be better off closer to God! Over time you’ll have to worry about this issue less and less, and if it ever crops up again, well, just go back to that prayer.

You can also have a little fun trying to imagine how he’ll answer your prayer in that person’s life. Imagining that kind of good for other people speeds up the process of re-forming your mind.

 

[EIF5A]

I can totally understand this.

If only we could program our brains to only think what we want and be without opinions…

Intrusive thoughts are truly vicious cycles.

Thought->Oh my gosh I’ve sinned->I’m a terrible, wicked person->God hates me->God will punish me->Praying is pointless in my condition->But that’s another bad thought!

 

[otjm]

My mind is nudging towards scrupulosity about sinning in my thoughts.

Thoughts are so wild, they are just “there.” In particular, I am most concerned about those snap judgments that I make when I see other persons – their appearance, their actions, their words (if I hear them), etc. including people on TV or in some encounter, walking down the street or how they are driving their car, etc. I have “opinions” about people on the radio and TV, for example especially if I don’t like their personality. Personality is a big issue for me.

What guidance does the Bible and/or the Church give us about this occasion of sin? and, when do the thoughts become sinful?

For starters, if you feel that scrupulosity is an issue, this is not the place to deal with it.

You need to find a confessor who actually has experience dealing with this issue (and just because someone is ordained is not evidence), and then you need to stick with them and follow what they say.

The second issue is that you have not stated anything that indicates sinfulness. Most people make very rapid judgments about others, often without being able to completely articulate why; and part of that is a pure safety mechanism. If someone very quickly gives you “the creeps”, you need to pay attention. Decades ago, I had that happen to me concerning a priest; 20 years later he was the first priest to be criminally convicted of sexual abuse of boys.

From what little you say, we have no way of addressing the issue with you, nor is almost anyone here competent to do so. It may be that you are overly opinionated, but that is not necessarily sinful. It also may be that you are gifted in analyzing people and situations, and that too is not necessarily sinful; you may simply be more sensitive to cues which everyone gives off, but which many do not pick up quickly (or sometimes, at all). For example, you may pick up that someone is agitated about something, a cue that if subtle, others will miss. That certainly is not sinful.

If you are concerned about “Judge not, lest you be judged”, you really need to sit down with a priest and go over what is bothering you, as most people seem to have some strange ideas as to what that actually means.

 

[psalm90]

Think about it like this. I can’t stand Chuck Shumer. I’m to the point where it doesn’t even matter what particular stupid thing he is saying this time, just his voice annoys me. I sincerely hope he retires or you know, leaves the country (and takes the Clintons with him). Do I wish Chuck Shumer harm? No. If I did, then that would probably be sinful. If I just hate what he says, that’s my right.

Yes, you have captured the essence of what I deal with, yes, it’s quite like that, in the first instance.

Also, I appreciate the other previous comment about immediately praying for that person that annoys me.

Yes, there’s that verse in Revelations about eternal life in paradise, that “things of old will be forgotten” (in one translation) reflecting that our glorified bodies will not be subject to such afflictions.

And, then, there’s the Mother Theresa quotation about our need to recognize Jesus in His distressing disguise.

 

[Jestersage]

I can totally understand this.

If only we could program our brains to only think what we want and be without opinions…

Intrusive thoughts are truly vicious cycles.

Thought->Oh my gosh I’ve sinned->I’m a terrible, wicked person->God hates me->God will punish me->Praying is pointless in my condition->But that’s another bad thought!

The problem is that we have root control of our thoughts. Have you ever give root (not just admin) permission to someone in the filesystem, even with all the guidelines? Yeah, not pretty.

… I should go back to fix the folder permission issues of my user’s outlook.

 

[Greenfields]

Perhaps swap the negative thought right away for a positive one about the people you see,
think of the persons soul too, their guardian angel with them