Was I committing mortal sin?

[JohnTron]

I was addicted to porn for a year I had NO IDEA there was anything wrong with it and I thought it was normal and ok but just today I figured out it was a gave sin and I’m very sad because I’ve been receiving communion for the past year and I wanna know if I’ve been committing a sin without even knowing

(Edit) and would it be a sin to mastaurbate without thinking lustful thoughts about a real person just one you imagine or a non-existent one

(Edit) thank you guys I will stop and confess this pretty sad about this though

 

[Ioana]

Ok I’ll venture to answer. Masturbating is grave matter no matter what you are thinking about, same with porn. Not sure if it would be mortal in your case but say a perfect Act of Contrition and go to confession about it. Then stop doing it. Wanna know why it is a sin? I’d point to the cathecism chapter on the 6th commandment. Good luck

 

[Mary_Ellen]

In order to commit a mortal sin you must have full knowledge that the act is, indeed, mortal. This condition did not exist for the past year. You may have been committing a venial sin, however.

Masturbation is always a sin, no matter what your thoughts. Lustful thoughts about a real or imagined persons are wrong, as well, as they may damage or warp your relationship with others.

I strongly suggest you go to Confession for both these things, the porn and the masturbation. The graces received in the Sacrament will help you overcome these compulsions.

 

[Vico]

I was addicted to porn for a year I had NO IDEA there was anything wrong with it and I thought it was normal and ok but just today I figured out it was a gave sin and I’m very sad because I’ve been receiving communion for the past year and I wanna know if I’ve been committing a sin without even knowing

(Edit) and would it be a sin to mastaurbate without thinking lustful thoughts about a real person just one you imagine or a non-existent one

Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition)

IV. ERRONEOUS JUDGMENT

1790 A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. If he were deliberately to act against it, he would condemn himself. Yet it can happen that moral conscience remains in ignorance and makes erroneous judgments about acts to be performed or already committed.

1791 This ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man “takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin.” 59 In such cases, the person is culpable for the evil he commits.

1792 Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel, bad example given by others, enslavement to one’s passions, assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience, rejection of the Church’s authority and her teaching, lack of conversion and of charity: these can be at the source of errors of judgment in moral conduct.

1793 If - on the contrary - the ignorance is invincible, or the moral subject is not responsible for his erroneous judgment, the evil committed by the person cannot be imputed to him. It remains no less an evil, a privation, a disorder. One must therefore work to correct the errors of moral conscience.

1794 A good and pure conscience is enlightened by true faith, for charity proceeds at the same time “from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith.” 60

The more a correct conscience prevails, the more do persons and groups turn aside from blind choice and try to be guided by objective standards of moral conduct. 61

59 Gaudium et Spes (Vatican II) 16.
60 1 Tim 5; cf. 8:9; 2 Tim 3; 1 Pet 3:21; Acts 24:16.
61 Gaudium et Spes (Vatican II) 16.

Catechism http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm
Gaudium et Spes http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

If you truly did not know porn and masturbation are grave sins then you did not sin mortally. But if I was in your situation, for me, it would be a little to close for comfort so I would go to confession and explain it all to the priest. You will feel better. So I would confess asap and stop viewing porn and masturbating.

And to answer your other question, no you can’t just make up a imaginary person to avoid sin while masturbating and masturbating is ALWAYS sinful no matter what. Don’t try to find any loopholes. There are none. Just stop.

 

[Julius]

No you were not commiting a mortal sin but any repeated offences after will be mortal. I am also going through the same thing. I understand where these thoughts are coming from. My advice for you is to commit yourself to ending the sin right now. You will not eventually conquer the sin as eventually never comes. Focus your efforts. Also no matter what you do don’t think about masturbation. Don’t focus on not thinking about masturbation either. Just allow the thoughts to slip you mind. If stray thoughts happen try to focus on what ever you were doing at the moment.