When is breaking civil law a mortal sin?

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Antonio5

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What if the action the law prohibits is in itself not a mortal sin, do you then commit a mortal sin by breaking the law?
 
It’s only sinful to break a just law. So if it was illegal to go to church, and you did, then that wouldn’t be a mortal sin.
 
Antonio5 said:
What if the action the law prohibits is in itself not a mortal sin, do you then commit a mortal sin by breaking the law?
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Example if the law prohibits driving faster than the posted speed limit and you kill or injure someone, that would be a mortal sin.
 
Thanks for the answers. But driving above the speed limit is in itself a mortal sin because it endangers one’s life and the life of others.
For example someone I know has one of those radio scanners where you can listen to aircraft and boats etc. But in this country where he lives listening to those things is against the law. (I don’t think it is in the USA) For him its only an innocent hobby. The actual action of using this radio scanner to listen to planes and boats is not a mortal sin but the law prohibits it. So in his case by listening to these things he is in no way sinning. But my question is as listening to these things is against the law does he commit a sin by breaking that law? And if so surely it can’t be a mortal sin?
 
It really depends on the law that was broken. If you forgot to register for the draft, you’re not in deep trouble. If you murdered someone or robbed a store for thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, that’s a grave sin in itself.
 
isnt it true that your not supposed to be in anyway subject to the law, and that your main priorites is in being a christian?
 
Antonio5 said:
But driving above the speed limit is in itself a mortal sin because it endangers one’s life and the life of others.
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So if the speed limit is 65 mph and you are knowingly driving 65.001mph, that’s a mortal sin?

Sorry, but I don’t agree with you on that and neither does a priest I asked about that.

The Church seems to agree. From the Catechism:

“[2290](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/2290.htm’)😉 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others’ safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.”

As a former deputy sheriff, if you are doing 70mph while everyone else on the road is doing 70mph I don’t think you are endangering anyone else’s safety. Even though it is per se illegal.

Most accidents I dealt with were really caused by people not paying attention. I never had one solely caused due to speed on a clean, dry road during the day.
 
AHapka said:
So if the speed limit is 65 mph and you are knowingly driving 65.001mph, that’s a mortal sin?

Sorry, but I don’t agree with you on that and neither does a priest I asked about that.

The Church seems to agree. From the Catechism:

“[2290](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/2290.htm’)😉 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others’ safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.”

As a former deputy sheriff, if you are doing 70mph while everyone else on the road is doing 70mph I don’t think you are endangering anyone else’s safety. Even though it is per se illegal.

Most accidents I dealt with were really caused by people not paying attention. I never had one solely caused due to speed on a clean, dry road during the day.
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If the speed limit is 65 and you are going 80 or 90 mph and are DUI along with it then it is a mortal sin.
 
LegoGE1947 said:
If the speed limit is 65 and you are going 80 or 90 mph and are DUI along with it then it is a mortal sin.
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Agreed.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have discussed the matter with a priest I know to be a very good judge.

It really does depend, is what he stated.

Doing 66mph is a 65mph on a day when road and traffic conditions permit is not mortal.

When you add the DUI and excessive speed, it becomes mortal.

The line can (and does) move based on a wide variety of factors. Road conditions, how much traffic, etc.

I think we could all (hopefully) agree that DUI (OWI in Wisconsin, but that’s really just semantics) is mortal in and of itself.
 
Let us not go overboard.

Statutory rape, you say, when individuals are married is a sin?

Fertility begins before the age of 16.
.
 
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