When does Anger become sinful?

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I heard that anger could be no sin, venial, or mortal. So at what point does it become venial and mortal?

For example, something kind of stupid and embarrassing happened just now. I’m a pretty competitive person. Well I’m in my room and I’m getting destroyed in this game. At the end of the game I grabbed the first thing near me and hit it on the ground in frustration without thinking. Of course, it was a water bottle. The cap came off and got a bunch of stuff wet and I instantly knew I let my anger go too far. And then had to clean up in embarrassment. It didn’t hurt anyone in the process though. So there’s a story you may get a chuckle out of.

Side Note: I’d say I can usually control my anger pretty well. I obviously get angry but I don’t let it get the best of me besides maybe some short bursts of yelling(yelling in general like at a video game or something not at another person) occasionally but usually not more than that.
 
Anger becomes a sin when it obfuscates reason.
We can be rightfully angered by an event but if we let the passions take over our judgement that would be sinful.
Peace!
 
JerryZ said:
Anger becomes a sin when it obfuscates reason.
We can be rightfully angered by an event but if we let the passions take over our judgement that would be sinful.
Peace!
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Quick followup here, would yelling even if it isn’t directly at someone or hitting the ground count as sinful then?
 
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This article talks about the difference between “righteous” anger vs “sinful” anger:


Fr Serpa of Catholic Answers also answers a question about “righteous” anger vs “sinful” anger here:
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Doesn't Jesus' anger contradict being sinless? Ask an Apologist
Ok, so. Jesus was without sin…Sinless. Jesus was angered in the temple and at the fig tree. Anger is one of the seven deadly sins… So…How is he without sin…
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Fr Cogan (in his work “A Brief Catechism for Adults”) says that “serious anger” and “hatred” are mortal sins while “ordinary anger” and “impatience” are venial sins (the work has obstat and imprimatur). Fr Callan and Fr McHugh also talk about the different types and degrees of anger in their work “Moral Theology” (their work also has the nihil obstat and imprimatur):

Anger.—Anger is sinful when it deviates from reason, as to its matter or its manner.

(a) Thus, it is unreasonable as to its matter (i.e., its vengeance) when it punishes unjustifiably (e.g., when the person punished is innocent, when the penalty is excessive, when the legal order is not followed, when the motive is not justice or correction, but hatred, etc).

(b) It is unreasonable as to its manner (i.e., the degree of excitement felt or shown) when temper goes beyond measure. Great anger is not sinful when a great evil calls for it (e.g., the anger of Our Lord against the money-changers in John, vi. 14 sqq.; that of Mathathias against the idolatrous Jew in I Mach., ii. 24); but to fly into a rage at nothings or trifles is sinful.

Gravity of the Sin of Anger. —(a) If anger is sinful on account of its matter, it is mortal from its nature as being opposed to charity and justice. He that is angry against his brother is worthy of hell fire (Matt., v. 21, 22). It may be venial, however, on account of imperfection of the act (e.g., the sudden impulse to strike down those who do not agree with one’s opinions) or the lightness of the matter (e.g., a slap or push or box on the ears given a naughty child when a word of reproof would have sufficed).

(b) If anger is sinful on account of its manner, it is venial from its nature; for excess in an otherwise indifferent passion is not a serious disorder (see 2450). But the sin may be mortal by reason of circumstances, as when an angry person acts like a wild man, curses and swears, breaks the furniture, gives serious scandal on account of his position, or the time or place, or injures his health by the violence of his paroxysm.

Is Anger a Graver Sin than Hatred and Envy? —(a) As to its matter, anger is less grave than hatred and envy, for it pursues evil under the guise of spiritual good, pretending at least that the harm it intends is just, whereas hatred and envy pursue evil precisely as it is injurious to another, or as it is a means to one’s own temporal and external good or glory. Likewise, anger is less grave objectively than concupiscence, for the voluptuous man aims at utility or pleasure, whereas the revengeful man aims at what he makes believe is just.

continued….
 
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(b) As to its manner, anger surpasses the vices mentioned in certain of its violent manifestations. The infuriated man, when crossed, creates a scene and makes a fool of himself; his blood boils, his face is flushed, his eyes dart fire, he froths at the mouth and trembles, he pounds, stamps and bellows like an enraged bull.

Anger as One of the Seven Capital Vices.—(a) It has a certain preeminence in evil. Its matter is quite attractive, for revenge is sweet and the cloak of just retaliation makes it seem good; its manner is powerful, for it drives one on to dare even the most shocking crimes.

(b) It is the spring of many sins. In the heart anger produces indignation against the object of displeasure, whom the angry man looks upon as base and unworthy, and soreness about the treatment of self, which fills the mind with plans of revenge. Sins of the mouth due to anger are incoherent cries of rage, words of contumely and blasphemy (Matt., v. 22), while its sinful deeds include quarrels and every kind of injury.

Sinful Indulgence.—Sinful indulgence, which is opposed to meekness by excess, is often a mortal sin on account of the grave harm it inflicts upon the common welfare and the protection it affords to crime. Thus, Heli was seriously reproved and punished because he winked at grave disorders, or at least was too easy-going in his corrections (I Kings, ii, iii).
 
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Anger is an emotion, not a sin. When angry our guard is down and we are more apt to sin.

Scripture makes it clear, be angry and sin not.
 
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St Jerome said anger is the door by which all vices enter the soul. I pray for the virtues of patience and self-restraint. Anger can be conquered but it takes time and effort.
 
Strictly going by the way you described it, you lost the game, felt a rush of emotion, broke an object, then cooled down and realized how goofy the whole situation was.

If you were still stewing about it and plotting revenge, if you had broken somebody else’s object (in which case you would owe restitution), if you had taken out your anger on somebody else, then I would say your anger rose to the level of sin.

Anger is an emotion, which is neither good nor bad.
So when you feel an emotion, you need to bring it to right reason to decide what to do.
And of course, you don’t want to keep feeding your anger by rehearsing over and over about your myriad injuries 🙂
 
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I do believe there is such a thing as righteous anger. It’s a constructive anger that moves us forward in effecting needed change. In order to correct injustices, for example, people first have to care about them, and in order for people to start caring, sometimes they need to be angered by some blatant atrocities that can result from injustices.

Righteous anger is actually a healthy thing. And once the issue causing it is properly addressed, the anger has achieved what was necessary and folks can move on in better circumstances.

It’s when anger turns to hate that it becomes sinful and destructive, because then the anger becomes unjust and causes further injustice.
 
In my personal experience, anger is always pride.

There has never been a single time in my life in which after I got angry I thought: “Well, come on, I was humble.”
 
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