The Mortal Sins: Estimating Your Transgressions

Mortal sins are a concept in Christian theology, specifically in Catholicism and Lutheranism. They are considered to be gravely sinful acts that can lead to damnation if not repented before death. To be considered a mortal sin, three conditions must be met: the sin must be of grave matter, committed with full knowledge, and with deliberate consent. While the Church does not provide an exhaustive list of mortal sins, examples include murder, adultery, theft, and blasphemy. These sins are considered to be a serious rejection of God's law and love, and can only be forgiven through sincere repentance and confession.

The three conditions for a mortal sin

• Grave Matter: The act itself must be intrinsically evil and immoral. The gravity of the sin is determined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which specifies grave matter by the Ten Commandments. Examples of grave matter include murder, rape, incest, perjury, and adultery.
• Full Knowledge: The person committing the sin must have full knowledge and awareness of the sinful action and the gravity of the offense. For example, stealing a rare postage stamp worth $1,000 without knowing its value would be a venial sin rather than a mortal sin.
• Deliberate Consent: The person must freely choose to commit the act without being forced or coerced. For instance, a person who is told they are administering a minor shock to another individual when they are, in fact, delivering torturous electrical jolts would not be guilty of a mortal sin.

These three conditions must be met together for a sin to be considered mortal. Mortal sins are considered a complete turning away from God, leading to damnation if not repented before death. They are distinguished from venial sins, which do not require confession for absolution and only lead to a weakening of a person's relationship with God.

Grave matter

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines grave matter as "specified by the Ten Commandments". These include:

• Murder
• Adultery
• Theft
• False witness
• Defrauding a worker of their wages
• Honouring your father and mother

The Catechism also states that "the gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft". It adds that "one must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger".

In addition to the Ten Commandments, the Catechism provides a partial list of actions that constitute grave matter, including:

• Abortion
• Encouragement of another's grave sins or vices
• Adultery
• Blasphemy
• Cheating and unfair wagers
• Contraception
• Defrauding a worker of a just wage
• Endangerment of human life or safety
• Euthanasia
• Homosexual acts
• Idolatry
• Lying
• Masturbation
• Neglect of Sunday obligation
• Rape
• Sacrilege
• Suicide
• Terrorism
• Theft
• Worshipping false gods

Full knowledge

To be considered a mortal sin, full knowledge is required. This means that the sinner must have full knowledge and awareness of the sinful action and the gravity of the offense. This does not mean a detailed understanding of the sin, but rather a basic understanding of the sin and its consequences. For example, a person who steals a loaf of bread knows that they are committing a sin and understands the gravity of depriving someone of food. On the other hand, a person who steals out of ignorance or weakness would be considered a venial sin.

It is important to note that the Catholic Church teaches that unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the responsibility of a grave offense. However, it is assumed that individuals have knowledge of the basic principles of the moral law, which are inherent in human conscience. Therefore, ignorance is not a valid excuse for committing a mortal sin.

Additionally, the influence of external factors, such as feelings, passions, external pressures, or pathological disorders, can reduce the voluntary and free nature of the offense. However, this does not negate the requirement of full knowledge for a sin to be considered mortal.

In summary, full knowledge is a crucial aspect of determining whether a sin is mortal or not. It requires the sinner to have a basic understanding of the sinful action and its consequences, as well as an awareness of going against God's commandments. While ignorance and external factors can play a role, they do not absolve the responsibility of the sin.

Deliberate consent

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological or social factors". In other words, if someone is forced or coerced into committing a sin, their responsibility for that sin may be diminished or nullified.

However, it's important to note that pushing or encouraging others to sin is still considered a sin, specifically a venial sin.

Mortal sins vs venial sins

In Christian theology, a mortal sin is a grave act of sinfulness that can lead to damnation if a person does not repent before death. It is considered a more serious offence than a venial sin, as it severs an individual's relationship with God.

Mortal sins are differentiated from venial sins by three conditions that must be met: the sin must be of grave matter, committed with full knowledge, and with deliberate consent. Grave matter refers to the seriousness of the sin, such as those outlined in the Ten Commandments. Full knowledge implies that the sinner is aware of the impurity and evil nature of their actions, while deliberate consent indicates that the sin was committed willingly, without coercion.

Examples of mortal sins include idolatry, sacrilege, atheism, abortion, euthanasia, suicide, murder, theft, adultery, pornography, prostitution, and rape. These acts are considered to be inherently immoral, inhumane, and evil, and thus result in a severing of the relationship with God that can only be restored through confession and repentance.

On the other hand, venial sins are minor offences that can be atoned for without confession. They are committed out of ignorance or weakness and do not constitute a deliberate turning away from God. While venial sins can cause spiritual harm and must be repented, they do not require confession for absolution.

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