Was this Hateful Thought a Mortal Sin?

[nsper7]

Earlier today, I noticed one of my tires had a blowout. Anyway, at first, I thought someone had slashed one of the tires. I proceeded to think of what I would like to do to said person if I caught them, let’s just say it involved causing them an excruciating amount of pain and was quite a cruel/brutal thought. As best as I can tell, I had no intention of acting on this thought and I had no suspect in mind anyway. In the end, it turned out it was just a random blowout.

When I was thinking someone may have slashed the tires, I had no suspect in mind, just a thought against the random person who might have done it. By this I mean, I was imagining if I caught the person responsible, not that I had a person in mind already or anything.

Was this a mortal sin to think this hateful thought towards an unknown person?

EDIT: I was just at Confession yesterday (I go weekly usually) and I know if I were to go back today, the Priest would probably say I was being Scrupulous.

 

[Dempsey1919]

I don’t think you committed a sin because you didn’t actually do anything. Plus, it cannot be a mortal sin because you did not think this way deliberately knowing that it was a moral sin. However, I would say that your thoughts were not very Christian, although your reasons for being mad are understandable. I wouldn’t go to Confession for this. I would just pray for forgiveness - maybe add this to your intentions if you are still praying the Rosary.

 

[nsper7]

My problem is I have a very active imagination (one of my hobbies is screenwriting, although I have not worked on one in awhile), so it is easy for my imagination go off. So instead of thinking of wanting to strangle someone or something, it’s crucifixion or something else equally offensive or cruel, not that I, if I thought it over, would ever actually want to do such a thing to a person. Does that make sense? Sorry and I hope you do not think I am psycho or something.

EDIT: Also, it is like I sometimes think such a thought because it is like I am trying to come up with something offensive to think or something. Does that make sense at all?

 

[Dempsey1919]

It sounds like you have a very vivid imagination. Rather than focus on negative things, maybe you should use this aspect of your personality in a positive way. Maybe you should start writing again? This would give you something to think about and it may prevent these unwanted thoughts from occuring.

I don’t think you’re wierd, it just sounds as if you have a creative imagination that sometimes causes you to have strange thoughts. You should take advantage of this aspect of yourself, and compose some great stories or scripts.

 

[Mintaka]

Dempsey1919 –

Thoughts can be sins, and even mortal sins. But it’s stuff like, “I am now going to make an elaborate plan to rob Fort Knox, which I fully intend to carry out!” Sexual fantasies which are really, really deliberately entertained. Serious murder plots. That kind of stuff.

Now, there’s a difference between daydreaming a little murder movie and seriously intending to murder someone. The daydream might not be nice, but it’s not a mortal sin, generally.

Of course, the beauty of being a writer is that you can turn the daydream into an interesting story and make money off it! Truly, the best revenge. In that case, you generally wouldn’t be entertaining the thought but rather distancing yourself from it, making it into an artwork instead of a raw piece of hate. It’s totally okay to make that elaborate plan to rob Fort Knox if your intention is to write it into a caper movie.