Spontaneous Pornography & other questions

[AussieVesti]

If you were to click on a link which you thought was user friendly but contained pornography, does this count as a mortal sin or a venial sin? Also does the Catholic Church pictures of women who are posing as sex symbols but not nude, as pornography?

What happens when you don’t actual know something is a mortal sin, you don’t confess it and take the Eucharist the following Sunday? What’s the standpoint of God if you don’t confess but take the Eucharist?

 

[havemercy]

If you were to click on a link which you thought was user friendly but contained pornography, does this count as a mortal sin or a venial sin? Also does the Catholic Church pictures of women who are posing as sex symbols but not nude, as pornography?

What happens when you don’t actual know something is a mortal sin, you don’t confess it and take the Eucharist the following Sunday? What’s the standpoint of God if you don’t confess but take the Eucharist?

Neither. No. It isn’t a mortal sin. You have no need to worry about that given the information you presented. But to receive the Eucharist with mortal sin on the conscious is again, mortal sin.

Peace

 

[AussieVesti]

Neither. No. It isn’t a mortal sin. You have no need to worry about that given the information you presented. But to receive the Eucharist with mortal sin on the conscious is again, mortal sin.

Peace

So then wouldn’t people keep taking the Eucharist and then confess maybe once every few months? Can’t people just build up their sins, flush them all away with confession instead of going every week, presuming they’ve committed sin very week?

 

[havemercy]

So then wouldn’t people keep taking the Eucharist and then confess maybe once every few months? Can’t people just build up their sins, flush them all away with confession instead of going every week, presuming they’ve committed sin very week?

First off, the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) is only necessary when one is conscious of having committed grave (mortal) sin. All venial sins are remitted during mass and after receiving the Eucharist.

 

[Holly3278]

If you were to click on a link which you thought was user friendly but contained pornography, does this count as a mortal sin or a venial sin? Also does the Catholic Church pictures of women who are posing as sex symbols but not nude, as pornography?

What happens when you don’t actual know something is a mortal sin, you don’t confess it and take the Eucharist the following Sunday? What’s the standpoint of God if you don’t confess but take the Eucharist?

I think that in both cases it is either a venial sin or not a sin at all.

 

[briang72]

First off, the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) is only necessary when one is conscious of having committed grave (mortal) sin. All venial sins are remitted during mass and after receiving the Eucharist.

I wanted to add to havemercy’s answer and additionally point out the second precept of the church.

CCC 2042
…The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year.”) ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness…

In my quick research, I was unable to find anything stating that this precept is excused if there is no mortal sin on one’s conscience.

It has been recommended to me by more than one priest to go to confession once a month. The grace received is well worth it. The bigger struggle here is avoiding being too scrupulous, but an honest examination of conscience will probably reveal some venial sins worthy of confession. The very act of acknowledging them in confession, especially those which are habitual, will help us to avoid them in the future.

 

[1ke]

If you were to click on a link which you thought was user friendly but contained pornography, does this count as a mortal sin or a venial sin?

This would not be a sin. A sin is something you do on purpose. If you clicked the link thinking it was legitimate and an immoral site came up, the thing to do is to close your browser or hit the back button immediately.

Now, if you stayed on the website and looked, that would be a willful act and sinful.

Also does the Catholic Church pictures of women who are posing as sex symbols but not nude, as pornography?

If they are purposely posing in a fashion meant to arouse men, then that is material you should avoid. It would fall under the broad category of pornography.

What happens when you don’t actual know something is a mortal sin, you don’t confess it and take the Eucharist the following Sunday?

Nothing “happens”. There are three conditions for something to be mortally sinful:

1. Grave matter.
2. Full knowledge that it is grave matter
3. Free will-- you willfully do it anyway, knowing it is gravely wrong

You cannot “accidentally” commit a sin. If you do something and honestly don’t know it’s wrong then you’ve committed a grave act but not a sin.

If you become aware of its sinfulness, you should discuss it with your priest at that time.

What’s the standpoint of God if you don’t confess but take the Eucharist?

If you **know **you are in a state of mortal sin, then receiving the Eucharist without confession is another mortal sin.

If you are in a state of mortal sin and you take the Eucharist you will not receive the graces of the Sacrament.

 

[1ke]

So then wouldn’t people keep taking the Eucharist and then confess maybe once every few months? Can’t people just build up their sins, flush them all away with confession instead of going every week, presuming they’ve committed sin very week?

Venial sins can be forgiven when we receive the Eucharist. Although, we can and should confess venial sins.

Minimally, only mortal sins must be confessed before receiving the Eucharist. But, it’s better to go to confession regularly and confess venial sins too.

So, your question above depends upon whether we are talking about mortal or venial sins on the part of the person going to Communion each week.

 

[jonesa25]

Not avoiding the occasion to sin is a sin in and of itself. Furthermore, the photograph is not the sin, lust is the sin. One could conceivibly see hardcore pornography without a lustful thought and therefore without sin. If, when the picture appeared you lingered on it lustfully it is a sin. Whether it is mortal or not depends on several factors, but looking at pornographic images with lust is grave matter.

 

[scaron]

If you are in a state of mortal sin and you take the Eucharist you will not receive the graces of the Sacrament.

I do not believe this is correct, strictly speaking.

I believe the grace of the sacrament is always conferred - it is just not operable in you because you have chosen to turn away from it by committing a mortal sin.

 

[Blackbog]

So then wouldn’t people keep taking the Eucharist and then confess maybe once every few months? Can’t people just build up their sins, flush them all away with confession instead of going every week, presuming they’ve committed sin very week?

If we’re talking about mortal sin, I have just two words of advice:

1. Don’t die in between confessions, because according to the Church’s understanding, when you have committed a mortal sin (grave matter/sufficient reflection/full consent), you have lost your state of grace and chosen Hell over Heaven. If your time comes, and you find yourself in a state of mortal sin, with no remorse and no immediate intention of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, there is a good chance you will be denied the Kingdom.
2. When you go to confession to confess your mortal sin, make sure your intention is genuine and you intend to amend your life and sin no more, even avoiding the near occasion of sin which caused you to sin to begin with. If your intention is to “flush away” your sins every few months and just go through the motions, your confession will be invalid and simply a waste of time.

 

[mattkennel]

If we’re talking about mortal sin, I have just two words of advice:

1. Don’t die in between confessions, because according to the Church’s understanding, when you have committed a mortal sin (grave matter/sufficient reflection/full consent), you have lost your state of grace and chosen Hell over Heaven. If your time comes, and you find yourself in a state of mortal sin, with no remorse and no immediate intention of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, there is a good chance you will be denied the Kingdom.

While we must never presume that we will receive God’s mercy, there is no reason to panic because you have fallen into mortal sin. The problem with mortal sin is that you have offended against an all good God. The solution, then, is to return to that all-good God and beg his forgiveness. According to Aquinas, God does not command impossibilities. Now, in all probability, unless you live nearby a church or in a big city it is morally or physically impossible to get to a church with confession until a weekend (or, at least, that is my experience). Thus, you ought to make an act of perfect contrition. As Colin Donovan explains in the link I provided, this is not a frenzied act of feeling, but an act of the will. Then, come before God in the sacrament of confession as soon as possible (i.e. at the next regularly scheduled time). So, there is no need to despair. Trust in God’s mercy, and worry about pleasing his infinite majesty. Remember, God is not in heaven playing cosmic whack-a-mole, he really is trying to save everyone, even those who struggle with these addictions.