"The Catholic Church Just Destroyed Itself with Logic"

[Gorgias]

You know what I mean by despair. I said nothing about suicide.

I really didn’t, since it seemed like a non sequitur. OK, then: just being pessimistic of one’s chances is not a mortal sin, and therefore, he wouldn’t be condemned for it. Full stop.

 

[MNathaniel]

StudentMI:

You know what I mean by despair. I said nothing about suicide.

I really didn’t, since it seemed like a non sequitur. OK, then: just being pessimistic of one’s chances is not a mortal sin , and therefore, he wouldn’t be condemned for it. Full stop.

This isn’t even my ball game, but is there a reason you’re avoiding addressing @StudentMI’s question directly?

Or is your position that there is no such thing as “despair” in between “just being pessimistic of one’s chances” and literally committing “suicide” of the body?

I think the two of you may have some disagreement over the definition of “despair”.

 

[Gorgias]

This isn’t even my ball game, but is there a reason you’re avoiding addressing @StudentMI’s question directly?

I’m honestly not seeing how I haven’t done so!

“Despair”, as such, isn’t a mortal sin. Let’s look at the case of Judas: it’s said that he despaired, but the cause of folks (who say he’s in hell) to say he’s condemned isn’t the despair, as such, but the taking of his own life.

Or is your position that there is no such thing as “despair” in between “just being pessimistic of one’s chances” and literally committing “suicide” of the body?

Unless you’re trying to say that there’s final impenitence – which, in this case @StudentMI seems to be saying specifically that there is not – then I’m not seeing what the actual mortal sin that would condemn might be.

I think the two of you may have some disagreement over the definition of “despair”.

Good point. So, @StudentMI, what do you mean by “despair” here, and why might you suggest that it’s not only grave sin, but also mortal (and thus, condemning)?