SPLIT: Can't understand mortal sins and their consequences

[QuasiCatholic]

I’ve never understood this idea that mortal sin is a complete rejection of God – or that you would have any interest in taking communion if you HAD completely rejected God.

1. I don’t always do what my parents tell me to do. This is not a complete rejection of my relationship with them. It’s just a natural consequence of free will.
2. Similarly, while I have committed mortal sins, I’ve never felt any particular absence of God in my life as a result afterward. Guilt, sure. But not a loss of faith.
3. While I suppose you could just be a crazy person who hates God and takes communion anyway to stick your thumb in his eye, it seems like the very thought of wanting to take communion would indicate you haven’t completely separated yourself from God. And if you still value your relationship with God enough to want it, why would it be bad to take it?

 

[zz912]

I’ve never understood this idea that mortal sin is a complete rejection of God – or that you would have any interest in taking communion if you HAD completely rejected God.

1. I don’t always do what my parents tell me to do. This is not a complete rejection of my relationship with them. It’s just a natural consequence of free will.
2. Similarly, while I have committed mortal sins, I’ve never felt any particular absence of God in my life as a result afterward. Guilt, sure. But not a loss of faith.
3. While I suppose you could just be a crazy person who hates God and takes communion anyway to stick your thumb in his eye, it seems like the very thought of wanting to take communion would indicate you haven’t completely separated yourself from God. And if you still value your relationship with God enough to want it, why would it be bad to take it?

1. Yes, it is. Your obedience to them and their rules only applies if you agree with it. As such, you don’t acknowledge their authority over you and you don’t acknowledge your relationship. Just because your parents forgive your behavior doesn’t mean that you haven’t rejected them.
2. Feelings are meaningless to truth. You can feel that 1+2=4, but it doesn’t. You can’t have just some of God, or pick and choose how much of Him you want. It’s all or nothing. And our obedience to Him isn’t tested when we obey His commands we agree with. They are tested when we obey those commands we don’t agree with.
3. The problem is that they want God, but on THEIR terms. They have completely inverted who is in charge.

 

[QuasiCatholic]

1. You can’t have just some of God, or pick and choose how much of Him you want. It’s all or nothing.

Ok, I’m quoting directly from the Catechism here:

*1855 Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God … *

*1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent."131

1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, **Do not steal … *,

And then we get to … The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft

If murder and theft are both mortal sins, and mortal sins are a complete rejection of God and a loss of all charity, how can one be graver than the other? Complete rejection is complete rejection. One can’t be graver than the other unless at least one of them isn’t actually complete … right?

 

[Jean_Anthony]

aaa

 

[71326]

The grave matter is all wrapped in darkness but I don’t see why it can’t involve varying shades of darkness.
Rejection of God from a practical point of view is the same as failing to live up to His standards. Looking at it black and white we all fail to do this completely, except saints like Mary who never lived without grace.
Burglars are given a penance based on the amount of harm they inflicted.
Consider that we see the law of eternity through the lenses of time. So the mortal sin could have occurred over time by ignoring the heedings of the Holy Spirit. Or if it was a really impulsive act the onset of regret could happen (and disappear) more quickly. This leaves man with discerning how close the Spirit is to him after such instances.

“… Christ, give us all openness to ways leading beyond our own selves: may we no longer delay reconciliation in that unique communion called the Church, irreplaceable leaven set in the midst of humanity.” - Mother Teresa and Brother Roger