When does watching bad TV become a mortal sin?

[DL82]

I was watching something, began to become aware that it was a near occasion of sin for me, but kept watching until I actually started to feel that it was doing bad things, before immediately switching off. The content wasn’t objectively immoral (not pornography) just something that pushes my buttons, so to speak. I can’t say for certain whether I kept watching for the immoral content or just because I normally like the show, and find it funny, and it doesn’t normally have this particular theme in it which pushes the wrong buttons for me. I’m not sure I can say any more than that. I know I sinned, was it mortal?

I feel ill and dirty. Even though I didn’t even get aroused, I have the same feeling I used to get after sexual sins which I have long(ish >1yr) been clean of. The devil always seems to tempt me to a fall late on a Saturday, to try to keep me from Holy Communion on Sunday, so I want to be absolutely certain about the state of my soul as soon as possible.

Because it’s not something objective, a common sin, like pornography, but a personal ‘issue’ from my past, it’s hard to find an examination of conscience that helps me clarify the issue. Any advice would be most welcome.

PS, can also be scrupulous at times, but something tells me this isn’t one of those times.

PPS, also know what the 3 conditions for mortal sin are, am still in a bit of a confused state. As far as I can tell:

1. grave matter - if I were to wilfully look for the things I saw on TV, it would be grave matter
2. full knowledge - I didn’t know before I watched the show that it would have this content, but I knew a good 2 mins before I switched it off that it was likely, and knew enough to feel nervous about it
3. consent of the will - hmm, that’s the tricky part. I told myself I should probably switch off about 2 mins before I did. I don’t know whether that is consent or not?

 

[bookgirl32]

I was watching something, began to become aware that it was a near occasion of sin for me, but kept watching until I actually started to feel that it was doing bad things, before immediately switching off. The content wasn’t objectively immoral (not pornography) just something that pushes my buttons, so to speak. I can’t say for certain whether I kept watching for the immoral content or just because I normally like the show, and find it funny, and it doesn’t normally have this particular theme in it which pushes the wrong buttons for me. I’m not sure I can say any more than that. I know I sinned, was it mortal?

I feel ill and dirty. Even though I didn’t even get aroused, I have the same feeling I used to get after sexual sins which I have long(ish >1yr) been clean of. The devil always seems to tempt me to a fall late on a Saturday, to try to keep me from Holy Communion on Sunday, so I want to be absolutely certain about the state of my soul as soon as possible.

Because it’s not something objective, a common sin, like pornography, but a personal ‘issue’ from my past, it’s hard to find an examination of conscience that helps me clarify the issue. Any advice would be most welcome.

PS, can also be scrupulous at times, but something tells me this isn’t one of those times.

PPS, also know what the 3 conditions for mortal sin are, am still in a bit of a confused state. As far as I can tell:

1. grave matter - if I were to wilfully look for the things I saw on TV, it would be grave matter
2. full knowledge - I didn’t know before I watched the show that it would have this content, but I knew a good 2 mins before I switched it off that it was likely, and knew enough to feel nervous about it
3. consent of the will - hmm, that’s the tricky part. I told myself I should probably switch off about 2 mins before I did. I don’t know whether that is consent or not?

I was going to say, this sounds a little scrupulous . I only say that because it is something I struggle with too. I obviously can’t comment on the personal side of your post. But here’s an example from my life:

I liked the HBO show Rome. I liked it for it’s historical aspect (even though I know it was probably far from historical in some areas), but once I started watching I liked it for it’s storyline and acting as well. There was very questionable sexual content, although it was not pornography. I asked a priest about it. His immediate response was, “Oh, I wondered if that show was going to be good too.” Me relaying this conversation is not a way to say I interpreted the reaction from the priest as condoning the show. He couldn’t have, he hadn’t seen it. It’s just an observation that the priest wasn’t immediately “scrupulous” about it and it shed a light on my scrupulosity even more. It was just interesting.

I know this doesn’t answer your question, but I dont’ know that anyone here can really answer it?

 

[DL82]

To try to shed more light on my question, lets say I have a ‘thing’, fetish if you like, for thick glasses (its not really that, but i dont feel comfortable revealing the reality) in the past i looked at images of women in glasses as if they were porn. I dont do that anymore, but now there is a show on TV i like, but I’m aware this episode is likely to feature thick glasses but i wait until my fears are confirmed, both to the presenceof glasses and my continued sinful reaction to them, before I stop. What do you think?

 

[John92]

To try to shed more light on my question, lets say I have a ‘thing’, fetish if you like, for thick glasses (its not really that, but i dont feel comfortable revealing the reality) in the past i looked at images of women in glasses as if they were porn. I dont do that anymore, but now there is a show on TV i like, but I’m aware this episode is likely to feature thick glasses but i wait until my fears are confirmed, both to the presenceof glasses and my continued sinful reaction to them, before I stop. What do you think?

I’d say it’s a thin line to tread. For example (and don’t take this the wrong way, we all do this and you may not be): were you really only wanting to “see if the fears will be confirmed”, or does at least part of you want to see the “glasses”? And, even if you’re fine in this regard, exposing yourself to such a situation is exposing yourself to the temptation to sin which is, within reason, a sin itself.

Don’t get wrapped up in scrupulosity though, that way lies madness, and I really do think that many aspects of Latin Rite theology are conducive to this disease. Think of God as a loving Father, a supernatural Physician, not as a wrathful being to be appeased. When you develop this healthier relationship with God - and I’m not there myself - avoiding sin will be much easier, because the very temptation to sin will be lessened: you won’t be trying to “weasle your way into” sin, finding ways to sin venially without earning eternal damnation, but rather will shun all sin, venial and mortal, out of love of God more than fear of Hell or desire of Heaven.