
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions: the sin must be of grave matter, committed with full knowledge, and with deliberate consent. Thoughts are not sinful unless they are entertained for the sake of gratification. For example, a doctor may have to think about sex a lot, but thinking about sex is not a sin in itself. However, if a person chooses to continue thinking about something they know is wrong, it becomes a sin. A lustful thought can be a mortal sin if it is dwelled upon to the point that it becomes a concrete fantasy.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Thoughts become sinful | When actively thought about and chosen to continue thinking about |
Sinful thoughts | When chosen to be continued to be thought about, even if not carried out |
Sinful thoughts | When dwelled upon to the point that they become a concrete fantasy |
Sinful thoughts | When entertained/indulged |
Sinful thoughts | When consented to |
Sinful thoughts | When there is gratification |
Sinful thoughts | When there is full knowledge and complete consent |
Sinful thoughts | When there is deliberate consent |
What You'll Learn
Thoughts are sins when actively thought about and chosen
In the Catholic faith, thoughts are considered sins when actively thought about and chosen. This is because, as outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions: the object is of grave matter, it is committed with full knowledge, and there is deliberate consent.
According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches that "every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart". This suggests that indulging in lustful thoughts is a sin. However, this does not mean that a fleeting impure thought is a sin. It is the dwelling on and taking gratification in these thoughts that is considered sinful.
As St. Augustine teaches, "if the mind takes pleasure in unlawful thoughts, which it ought to banish at their first appearance, it evidently commits a sin, and this even when it does not propose to itself to execute what it thought". Therefore, it is the voluntary nature of the thoughts and the consent to them that makes them sinful.
Additionally, as St. Francis de Sales notes, "the sin becomes greater if, after we perceived the evil that has befallen us, we carelessly delay for some time and dally with the pleasure to decide whether we ought to allow or reject it". This highlights the importance of actively choosing to entertain sinful thoughts, rather than simply having them pass through one's mind.
It is also important to note that not all thoughts are equally sinful. As St. Antonine says, "as often as you resist, you are crowned". Therefore, resisting and rejecting impure thoughts is crucial to avoiding sin.
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Sinful thoughts can be mortal or venial
Thoughts become sinful when we actively think them and choose to continue thinking about something that we know is wrong. For example, if a thought about harming someone comes into your head, it is not a sin. But if you choose to keep thinking about it, it becomes a sin. The Bible verse Matthew 5:28 states, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart".
Mortal sins have three ingredients: grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. Grave matter refers to the seriousness of the sin, such as adultery, murder, or hatred of a neighbour. Full knowledge means being aware that the thought is sinful, and deliberate consent refers to choosing to continue thinking about it. If a person lacks full knowledge or complete consent, it is more likely to be a venial sin.
St. Augustine teaches that where there is no consent, there can be no sin. Even the saints have been tormented by temptations, and it is not a sin to be tempted as long as one does not consent to the temptation. However, if one takes voluntary pleasure in unchaste thoughts, it becomes a mortal sin. This is because the pleasure in the unchaste thought is entirely voluntary and separates us from God, even if only for a moment.
In conclusion, sinful thoughts can be either mortal or venial sins depending on the nature of the thought, the knowledge and consent of the thinker, and the resulting impact on charity and our relationship with God.
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Thoughts are not sins if unintentional
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met: the sin must be of grave matter, committed with full knowledge, and with deliberate consent.
Thoughts are not sinful unless they are entertained for the sake of gratification. If an impure thought enters the mind, it is a temptation to lust, but it is not lust itself. The mortal sin comes from choosing not to dismiss the thought but instead allowing the desire to be felt—an act of the will.
If a person feels angry and has a thought about harming someone, that is not a sin. But if they choose to keep thinking about it, then it becomes a sin. Similarly, a lustful thought could be a mortal sin, but given that these thoughts often pass fairly quickly, it is likely that a mortal sin hasn't taken place.
Unchaste thoughts can be sinful when we take voluntary pleasure in them. If someone finds pleasure in an unchaste thought but resists it as soon as they perceive it as sinful, the pleasure is involuntary and no sin is committed. However, if someone knows that what they are thinking is unchaste and sinful but continues to entertain the thought with pleasure, they are committing a mortal sin.
Thoughts are not sinful unless they are intentional. If someone sees something of a sexual nature on TV that they did not expect, they cannot be culpable for an unplanned event.
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Thoughts are not sins if they are not dwelled upon
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions: the sin must involve grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent.
Thoughts are not sinful unless they are dwelled upon. If a person chooses to continue thinking about something they know is wrong, then it becomes a sin. For example, if a lustful thought arises and an individual takes pleasure in it, knowing it to be sinful, but does not resist or try to banish it, this would be considered a mortal sin.
However, if a person is subject to temptation and sinful thoughts but does not act on them, this does not constitute a wholehearted rejection of the Gospel and would be considered a venial sin. For instance, if someone happens to "check someone out" or has a fleeting impure thought, these are not fully deliberate actions and would not be considered mortal sins.
It is important to note that impure thoughts and dreams are not necessarily willed and, therefore, not necessarily sinful. Acts can only be considered sinful if they are willed. An impure thought can be a temptation to sin, but it only becomes a sin when it is willed.
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Thoughts are not sins if they are not acted upon
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions: the sin must be of grave matter, committed with full knowledge, and with deliberate consent.
Thoughts are not sinful unless they are dwelled upon. A person may sin grievously by thought in two ways: by desire, and by complacency. A person sins by desire when they wish to perform a sinful act, or would wish to do so if given the opportunity. A person sins by complacency when they do not desire to commit the sinful act, but delight in the thought of having done so.
An impure thought can be a temptation to sin as it enters the mind. The impure thought only becomes a sin when it is willed. As taught by the ninth Commandment, an impure thought is grave matter. Desiring that impure thought, willingly and knowingly, offends against the love of one's neighbour and the love of God.
St. Augustine teaches that where there is no consent, there can be no sin. Even the saints have been tormented by temptations. The devil works harder to make the saints fall than to make the wicked sin, seeing them as more valuable prey. God permits even His servants to be tempted, to try their fidelity and purify them from their imperfections.
Thoughts only become sinful when they are actively thought, when one chooses to continue thinking about something that they know is wrong. If a thought comes into one's head about harming someone, that is not a sin. But if one chooses to keep thinking about it, then it becomes a sin.
To summarise, thoughts are not sins if they are not acted upon.
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Frequently asked questions
Thoughts are not sinful unless they are dwelled upon. If a thought enters your mind and you choose to continue thinking about it, knowing it is wrong, then it becomes a sin.
Mortal sins require full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, and consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Venial sins are committed without knowledge of their gravity or consent of the will.
Yes, lustful thoughts can be mortal sins. Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:27-28 that "whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart". However, if the thoughts are fleeting, it is likely that a mortal sin hasn't taken place.
Yes, thoughts of anger can be a mortal sin. However, as anger is often a sin of passion, it may subside quickly, indicating a lack of full knowledge and consent, and therefore not a mortal sin.
You should resist impure thoughts in their early stages and call upon God for help. If the impure thoughts are prolonged, you should persevere in resisting them and avoid anything that might cause impure thoughts.