would this be a sin?

[bjc90]

If a person commits what they believe to be a sin but it turns out that what they did wasn’t actually a sin, are they still in a state of mortal sin because they did the act thinking it was sinful when it really wasn’t?

For instance, if a person thought it was a mortal sin to run, but they did it anyway and later came to find out that it was never a sin in the first place, would they be guilty of sinning just because they thought it was but still ran?

 

[Redratfish]

I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t.

For it to be mortal:

It has to be seriously wrong
You KNOW its seriously wrong
You choose to do it anyway.

If it wasn’t seriously wrong, you can’t even start with the other two. If it is still a sin, confess it.

 

[baltobetsy]

If I were in that situation, I would be concerned about having been willing to commit what I thought was a mortal sin.

If I thought you were allergic to peanuts and I tried to kill you by sneaking peanut butter into my secret chili recipe (it’s delicious that way!), and you weren’t allergic and didn’t die, you’d still be pretty angry with me for trying.

So, when I would go to confession in this instance if I were you, I’d confess what I did and also that I was willing to do it thinking it was a mortal sin. Then the priest will be able to give counsel about it in addition to your expressing your sorrow for the whole situation.

I don’t know how much of this is strictly necessary; it’s just what my heart would lead me to do. Unless you’re terribly scrupulous, you can’t do any harm by confessing something.

Betsy

 

[CarrieH]

In such a case, there is still the rebellious spirit to deal with. That person’s disregard for right and wrong is a sin, regardless of whether their actions turn out to be sinful or not.

 

[WatchingMedia]

I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t.

For it to be mortal:

It has to be seriously wrong
You KNOW its seriously wrong
You choose to do it anyway.

If it wasn’t seriously wrong, you can’t even start with the other two. If it is still a sin, confess it.

If person thought it was a mortal sin, how did he find out it was not ? Hearsay ?

The person has an obligation to from a correct conscience using the teachings of the Church.
Don’t forget potential sins of culpability for ignorance. If person broke a moral law it can still be a sin. 1859, 1860. CCC, 2nd Ed.

Best to ask your Priest in Confession.

 

[Bookcat]

If a person commits what they believe to be a sin but it turns out that what they did wasn’t actually a sin, are they still in a state of mortal sin because they did the act thinking it was sinful when it really wasn’t?

For instance, if a person thought it was a mortal sin to run, but they did it anyway and later came to find out that it was never a sin in the first place, would they be guilty of sinning just because they thought it was but still ran?

First off…those with scruples please turn to another thread and read something else…and of course follow your confessor etc…

…

Ok…now …

Yes it can be a sin. For the person is acting against their conscience . The person is doing what their conscience (though objectively in error in this case) tells them is sinful to do.

(The running thing though is not the best example…that would be though a good example of a scruple…)

A little example…

A guy gives me a bag and tells me it is a bomb and gives me $5000 to take it and put it on the bus and then get off and enjoy my money…

If that bag had only banana’s in it …it would still be a mortal sin for me to take that bag and put it on the bus.

Or someone believed that it was a mortal sin (grave matter) to marry a person of another ethnic background due to their being raised that way and went ahead and did so with full knowledge and complete consent…that could still be a mortal sin…

and in confessing it they would have to tell the priest that they believed this was the case at the time…even though now they know it is not sinful at all…

(of course it is best to seek to inform ones conscience very well…and thus avoid such possibilities in most cases…)

For a mortal sin one needs a grave matter, full knowledge and complete consent…

So yes if a person believed something was a grave matter for a mortal sin…and did it with full knowledge and complete consent…yes they can commit a mortal sin even though the thing was not objectively a grave matter. In this case the “grave matter” in reality would be something like “willingly doing something one believed to be grave”.

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Now those with scruples of course could go to town with this idea…and start seeing mortal sins all over the place…(they can for example mistake their fears for reality etc) so they are in a somewhat different boat …and should go with their confessor…and are told to act against their scruples…and that they then do not sin when they do so…for they have formed their “actual conscience” on the advice of their confessor or some other good way and thus know habitually that the things they “fear” without foundation to be grave matters…are not …even though their fear may grip them…but rather scruples which they should instead ignore…act against…despise…

So those with scruples need to follow their confessor etc…and not think too much about this…

Which does not mean of course that they will not also believe things to be mortal sins which actually are…(or rather grave matters for mortal sin)…like murder, adultery, major theft…etc…so it is not just that the person with scruples is to do whatever they want…they still need to avoid real sin.

…but each persons difficulty with scruples can be different…so the confessor will be of great help here.

also those with OCD…can be in a different boat as well…

Those without such difficulties …should certainly stop …especially if they believe something to be a grave matter.