Question:
DawnoftheFores For a sin to be mortal you must be taught that it is so – years of Catholic guilt will help you see almost everything is sinful 
Good luck! Dawn
"people claim to have intellectual objections (to God), even though their doubts have another underlying source. When you scratch below the surface, there’s either a will to believe or there’s a will not to believe" What’s your reason for not believing? Having problems with God and evil co-existing? Having problems with the concept of eternal punishment? Having problems with miracles? Having problems living the life that the Bible demands of us? Instead of making the above comments, perhaps it might be interesting to ask yourself "why?". However, are you ready to believe if someone has an answer to these questions? Or do you not have the will? Sincerely, Joe Kussey
Response:
Seminary Student (Huge snip) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jesus and His Word teach… You are saved by faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). All who rely on observing the law (commandments) are under a curse (Galations 3:10). Salvation occurs at the moment you believe the Gospel (Ephesians 1:13). Jesus purifies sin (Hebrews 1:3). You can know for sure you are saved (1 John 5:13). The sacrifice of Jesus is finished (John 19:30). The Pope and his church teach… You are saved by faith plus works. Obedience to the commandments is a condition for salvation. Salvation is a process from baptism through purgatory. Purgatory purifies sin. You are condemned if you claim to be saved. The sacrifice of Jesus continues in daily Mass. As you can see these two teachings directly oppose one another. You must make the choice as to which is true and which is deception. Your choice will determine your eternal destiny.
I and many others believe that to argue that Jesus meant ONLY to believe in Him and you’d be saved is a gross misinterpretation of the Bible. As usual, this Protestant quotation of verses taken out of context indicate their lack of seeing the forest past the trees. The underlying purpose of the Bible is teach us the morale laws of God, not just a proof of Jesus is God. Jesus expects us to live our lives as closely as possible to His standards. Do you really think that we are just to believe, and then we can go and do whatever we want? You are missing the point of the entire Bible. Sincerely, Joe Kussey – – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Learn what the Pope/Catholic Church teach and how is OPPOSITE of the bibles clear teaching: http://home.hawaii.rr.com/bibletruths/catholic.htm Rome’s perversion of the 10 Commandments?! http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?ArtKey=tencommandments Find out more about the Heretical Teachings of Steve Winter at: http://www.stevewinter.com http://www.enteract.com/~sadams/winfaq.html "What a strange kind of salvation do they possess that care not for holiness…They would be saved by Christ…They would have their sins forgiven, Not that they may walk with God in love, but they they may practice their ENMITY against Him without ANY fear of eternal punishment!" (One of the Reformers!)
Response:
"DawnoftheForest" wrote .. For a sin to be mortal you must be taught that it is so – years of Catholic guilt will help you see almost everything is sinful Good luck!
+ Thus spaketh the non-catholic expert troll of this newsgroup.
Response:
"DawnoftheForest" wrote .. For a sin to be mortal you must be taught that it is so – years of Catholic guilt will help you see almost everything is sinful Good luck! + Thus spaketh the non-catholic expert troll of this newsgroup.
Thus spoken by the Catholic troll of the group who thinks that no one should ever voice another viewpoint be his here:-) Mortal sins — masturbation murder adultery rape Please tell me the rationality of any religion that lumps these sins together as ‘mortal’ ? Dawn "Anyone who engages in the practice of psychotherapy confronts every day the devastation wrought by the teachings of religion."
Response:
"lucy" < wrote You obviously have no idea "lucy" wrote — Have I practiced any form of
artificial contraception in my marriage? This is’nt adultery – it’s taking responsibility for your actions, your fertility, and your future children’s opportunities. + Go away, troll. + You obviously are not a Catholic who is qualified to speak re this subject.
+ Well, youngster…. + Since you feel I have no idea, … + Why not try to give me one?
Response:
You obviously have no idea
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "lucy" wrote — Have I practiced any form of artificial contraception in my marriage? This is’nt adultery – it’s taking responsibility for your actions, your fertility, and your future children’s opportunities. + Go away, troll. + You obviously are not a Catholic who is qualified to speak re this subject.
Response:
Deception will always be exposed by Truth. Have you ever realized that you could be deceived and not even be aware of it? Those who are deceived will never know it unless they are confronted with the truth. Many go to their grave deceived about the most important issue we all face, and that is, locating the narrow road that leads to eternal life. Who are you trusting to show you the way and the truth to eternal life? What is your source for truth? Is it absolutely trustworthy? Will it protect you from the schemes and lies of the master deceiver? The prophet Jeremiah gave us wise counsel for choosing whom we should trust. He said if you trust in man you will be cursed liked a bush in the parched places of the desert. But if you trust in God you will be blessed. You will be like a tree planted by water always bearing fruit, whose leaves are always green. No worries or fears will come upon you in a year of drought or when the heat comes (Jeremiah 17:5-8). Who will you trust? Many people disregard Jeremiah’s advice and put their trust in religious leaders. Catholics believe that the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church accurately teach what Jesus and His Word reveal. This can be a fatal mistake. Those who disregard the objective truth of the Bible and rely only on the subjective teachings of men leave themselves open to deception. We know God would never deceive anyone because He wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (l Timothy 2:3). He gave us His Word so we could know, understand and believe the truth (John 17:17). Would the Pope have a person believe what is not true? Maybe not intentionally, but what if he was deceived by previous popes who were also deceived? How do we know if any of the pope’s teachings or dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church are true? The only way we can be 100% sure is to do as the Bereans did — check everything with the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). If the apostle Paul’s teaching had to be verified for its truthfulness, it stands to reason we must use the same standard for any religious leader. Unfortunately the elevation of tradition along with infallible teachings of popes to the same authority as Sacred Scripture has allowed deception to go unabated in the Roman Catholic Church. Popes and their teachings constantly change, whereas Jesus and His Word are constant and never change. The Apostle Paul revealed the source of all deception, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons" (1 Tim. 4:1). You may be familiar with some common deceptions taught by religious leaders today: heaven is a reward for those who live good lives…water baptism is necessary for salvation…purgatory purges and removes sin…the sacrifice of the Mass can turn away God’s wrath on sinners…God’s grace can be earned and purchased. Satan has used lies like these to become the greatest "soul winner" in human history. For two thousand years, the master deceiver has perverted the Gospel of salvation by grace. His ferocious wolves, disguised in sheep’s clothing, preach counterfeit gospels that seduce people who are ignorant of God’s word (Matt. 7:15). A counterfeit Christianity is Satan’s ultimate weapon, so he can, one day be worshipped as Christ. His worldwide religious system is taking shape and unfortunately it includes many people in our churches today. All this should come as no surprise to those who know the Scriptures. For this scenario was revealed by Christ and the apostles as a warning of things to come. Jesus announced that right before His second coming the deception will be so convincing that even the elect might be deceived (Matt. 24:4,11,24). The deceit will come from false prophets, false teachers and false Christs, who will snare people from both inside and outside the church. Peter warned people of spiritual deception, "There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies…and will bring the way of truth into disrepute" (2 Peter 2:1-2). Satan uses deception to prevent people from being saved. God uses the truth to proclaim salvation to all who believe it. Man is either saved by believing God’s truth (Ephesians 1:13) or condemned by believing Satan’s lie. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers by perverting God’s truth through false religious systems (2 Corinthians 4:4). Any religion that teaches salvation is obtained through human effort and merit is nullifying the grace of God to its followers. We are saved by grace, "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works, if it were, grace would no longer be grace" (Romans 11:6). The truth will set you free. How can we avoid falling prey to these subtle and scheming impostors? Our only defense is to experience the emancipating truth of Scripture (John 8:32). We must know and live the truth. All teaching must be filtered through God’s Word. We are to use the Bible to lovingly correct and rebuke all teaching that contradicts God’s inspired word (2 Tim. 3:16). The Scriptures must become our ultimate authority in all areas of our faith. We must cling to Jesus who came to testify to the truth (John 18:37) and who is the truth (John 14:6). We are to stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around our waists (Eph. 6:14). It is through living the truth that we are sanctified (John 17:17). Does the church where you worship submit to the truth of the Gospel? It is of vital importance to God that you worship Him in truth (John 4:24). There are consequences for those who do not seek God’s truth through His Word. Those people who blindly put their faith in religious leaders are most susceptible to deception. Many assume that religious leaders would never seduce anyone with a false plan of salvation. Yet Luke warned, "Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:30). Other people choose not to let truth interfere with their lives. They turn away from it and listen to teachers who say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Tim. 4:2-4). Truth demands a response. The choice is to believe it and conform, or reject it and go our stubborn way. There are people who are devoted to God, but do not know Him personally because religious leaders conceal the source and authority of truth. People who have been indoctrinated with false teaching have difficulty believing the truth. They are always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth (2 Tim. 3:7). Acknowledging the truth requires a "turning away" from all unbiblical doctrines. It was a lack of faith in God’s purpose, plan and word that separated Adam and Eve and their offspring from God. They chose to put their faith in the deceiver, which brought spiritual and physical death to us all. How divine for God to use the very instrument that separated us from Him–faith, to restore us back to Him. It is now through faith in God that we receive His gift of spiritual and eternal life (Ephesians 2:8). The object of our faith determines who we are — a child of the devil (John 8:43-45) or a child of God (John 1:12); how we live — as slaves to sin, or slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:16-18); and how we will spend eternity — under the wrath of God or in his loving presence (John 3:36). Faith in anyone other than Jesus, and in anything other than His Word will allow deception to creep into our lives. Those who follow the traditions, opinions and philosophies of men and reject Christ and His Word will be condemned on the last day (John 12:48). By contrast how wonderful are the words of Christ that those who believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus and His Word teach… You are saved by faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). All who rely on observing the law (commandments) are under a curse (Galations 3:10). Salvation occurs at the moment you believe the Gospel (Ephesians 1:13). Jesus purifies sin (Hebrews 1:3). You can know for sure you are saved (1 John 5:13). The sacrifice of Jesus is finished (John 19:30). The Pope and his church teach… You are saved by faith plus works. Obedience to the commandments is a condition for salvation. Salvation is a process from baptism through purgatory. Purgatory purifies sin. You are condemned if you claim to be saved. The sacrifice of Jesus continues in daily Mass. As you can see these two teachings directly oppose one another. You must make the choice as to which is true and which is deception. Your choice will determine your eternal destiny. — Learn what the Pope/Catholic Church teach and how is OPPOSITE of the … read more »
Response:
"SNUMBER6" < wrote To be legalistic … If there is no church within 30 miles of where you are … there is no obligation to attend Mass … now deliberately putting yourself in that situation may or may not be a serious violation … We went on a cruise that left at 4PM on a Saturday and did not hit land until 8 AM on Monday … obviously we did not go to Mass … but there was no sin …
+ Intent is the key.
Response:
"Scout Lady" wrote … – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You know, just in my area we often go visit different parishes. I grew up in a town with the prettiest Church so it is hard to find one that rivals it’s beauty. A few weeks ago we went to Mass at St. Elizabeth Chapel, resting place of Katherine Drexel. The layout is different, instead of pews, its like individual wood chairs with a wooden kneeler that slides out and you sit facing the center of the chapel where there is a center altar. Across the back they added 4 pews for visitors but it usually standing room only. My son wanted to sit in the chairs the Sisters sit in and went up and asked one of the Sisters. We had gone early and the Sister said he sit next to her if he promised to pay attention. He wasn’t the only kid that asked, seems the odd arrangement has to be experienced by anyone under 14, and the Sister we had with us.
+ Nice story, thanks. + I used to go on business trips often and have attended Mass all over the world. There is a 1-800 number (maybe 1-800-MASSTIME) something like that — will tell you the names and addresses of churches in the USA – along with Mass times. + My wife and I also like to attend different churches in our area. + We especially like two – not in our parish. One is a new church without kneelers. I hated it at first, but now — it really isn’t so bad- especially for older people. We visited one church that did not have a crucifix inside the church itself. Very weird. We felt we were in a Baptist or Lutheran Church. ( Which we have also gone to for weddings and baptisms.) Another church removed all the pews and uses folding chairs.
Response:
It’s often beautiful to find other churches when travelling. =) Getting to see other Catholics, other order’s … *grin* "quirks". Finding a local Church is 1/2 the fun of travel. You know, just in my area we often go visit different parishes. I grew up in a town with the prettiest Church so it is hard to find one that rivals it’s beauty.
*grin* If I don’t find a place to live here in Annapolis, I’m destined to move out to another nearby parish. And the same applies – hard to find something that compares. =) A few weeks ago we went to Mass at St. Elizabeth Chapel, resting place of Katherine Drexel. The layout is different, instead of pews, its like individual wood chairs with a wooden kneeler that slides out and you sit facing the center of the chapel where there is a center altar. Across the back they added 4 pews for visitors but it usually standing room only. My son wanted to sit in the chairs the Sisters sit in and went up and asked one of the Sisters. We had gone early and the Sister said he sit next to her if he promised to pay attention. He wasn’t the only kid that asked, seems the odd arrangement has to be experienced by anyone under 14, and the Sister we had with us.
Beware nuns with Rosary’s! They’ll pray your kid into the seminary! *grin* Always had the deepest respect for them. And I’m sure it was a meaningful experience for your son.
Response:
For a sin to be mortal you must be taught that it is so – years of Catholic guilt will help you see almost everything is sinful Good luck! Dawn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – @worldnet.att.net For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must all be met: the object must be a grave matter, it must be committed with full knowledge, and it must be committed with deliberate consent. I am not convinced that simply going away for the weekend, whatever the location, is a mortal sin. I don’t think he was asking about the vacationing part, he was asking about missing Mass. Then I suppose that exploring the Arctic is also a mortal sin? ?? Why is exploring the Arctic a mortal sin? Simply traveling is not an occaision of sin. It could be. What if you are a compulsive gambler and you traveled to Las Vegas? Vacationing on the beach can be an occasion of sin for many people (and it depends on _which_ beach you are talking about). I don’t think vacationing in the mountains is an occasion of sin for anybody, though. I don’t think he was implying that he thought vacationing was sinful, I think he was talking about missing Mass. The vacation is just what they happened to be doing at the time. Like you say, if they were so far out in the wilderness and away from their car that they couldn’t get to Mass, that would be one thing, if they were just using the fact that they were on vacation as an excuse that would be another. As I said before, if the intent of the travel were to avoid going to Mass, then it would most definitely be a sin. If the person makes absolutely no attempt to locate a Mass, knowing full well the requirement to attend Mass, then that would be deliberate sin. If the person is traveling, and attempts to locate a Mass, and it’s not available, then all three conditions are not met. I found the article below too, if this helps any. At the end, you will note that simply preferring another activity is considered a deliberate act. I would say that the activity would have to involve just the one day – because one could plan ahead, and go to Mass Saturday evening, or the early Mass on Sunday, and still go to the beach, right? But if you are going to be traveling, for a couple of days, then I’d say that if you try and find a Mass in your vicinity, and simply cannot, then you did your best, and should be all set. Also, you must be aware that something is a sin, in order to be culpable. If you weren’t aware of it, unlike civil law, you cannot be held responsible. http://www.scborromeo.org/glad/c1.htm#q3 Q. Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on Sundays? The 3rd Commandment tells us to keep the Lord’s Day holy. In Old Testament times, God’s people stopped working and gathered together for worship on the Sabbath, which was Saturday. However, the early Christians rested and came together to rejoice on Sunday because Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning. Sunday is not only a day of worship but a day of joy and family closeness. Now as to whether it is a mortal sin or not. The three criteria for determining if a sin is mortal were described under the question on mortal and venial sin. It is a grave matter to miss Mass on Sunday. If we have full knowledge that it is a sinful matter to violate one of the Ten Commandments because it violates God’s law, the second condition is met. If we realize that the 3rd Commandment requires us to gather together to worship and we know that it is a grave sinful matter to violate the Commandments, but the car won’t start and there is no other way to get to Mass, the third condition has not been met. If however, we simply miss Mass because there is something else we would rather be doing (like playing golf, going to the beach, etc.) then a deliberate act has taken place and a mortal sin has been committed. It’s like saying "I don’t love God enough to spend some of my time with Him." Recommended reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994, paragraphs 1857-1861 "Remember The Sabbath . . . Keep It Holy", Booklet #36, Catholic Information Service, Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 1971, New Haven CT 06521, 1967
"Anyone who engages in the practice of psychotherapy confronts every day the devastation wrought by the teachings of religion."
Response:
"lucy" wrote — Have I practiced any form of artificial contraception in my
marriage? This is’nt adultery – it’s taking responsibility for your actions, your fertility, and your future children’s opportunities.
+ Go away, troll. + You obviously are not a Catholic who is qualified to speak re this subject.
Response:
I found the article below too, if this helps any. At the end, you will note that simply preferring another activity is considered a deliberate act. I would say that the activity would have to involve just the one day – because one could plan ahead, and go to Mass Saturday evening, or the early Mass on Sunday, and still go to the beach, right? But if you are going to be traveling, for a couple of days, then I’d say that if you try and find a Mass in your vicinity, and simply cannot, then you did your best, and should be all set.
It’s often beautiful to find other churches when travelling. =) Getting to see other Catholics, other order’s … *grin* "quirks". Finding a local Church is 1/2 the fun of travel.
Response:
For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must all be met: the object must be a grave matter, it must be committed with full knowledge, and it must be committed with deliberate consent. I am not convinced that simply going away for the weekend, whatever the location, is a mortal sin.
I don’t think he was asking about the vacationing part, he was asking about missing Mass. Then I suppose that exploring the Arctic is also a mortal sin?
?? Why is exploring the Arctic a mortal sin? Simply traveling is not an occaision of sin.
It could be. What if you are a compulsive gambler and you traveled to Las Vegas? Vacationing on the beach can be an occasion of sin for many people (and it depends on _which_ beach you are talking about). I don’t think vacationing in the mountains is an occasion of sin for anybody, though. I don’t think he was implying that he thought vacationing was sinful, I think he was talking about missing Mass. The vacation is just what they happened to be doing at the time. Like you say, if they were so far out in the wilderness and away from their car that they couldn’t get to Mass, that would be one thing, if they were just using the fact that they were on vacation as an excuse that would be another. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -As I said before, if the intent of the travel were to avoid going to Mass, then it would most definitely be a sin. If the person makes absolutely no attempt to locate a Mass, knowing full well the requirement to attend Mass, then that would be deliberate sin. If the person is traveling, and attempts to locate a Mass, and it’s not available, then all three conditions are not met. I found the article below too, if this helps any. At the end, you will note that simply preferring another activity is considered a deliberate act. I would say that the activity would have to involve just the one day – because one could plan ahead, and go to Mass Saturday evening, or the early Mass on Sunday, and still go to the beach, right? But if you are going to be traveling, for a couple of days, then I’d say that if you try and find a Mass in your vicinity, and simply cannot, then you did your best, and should be all set. Also, you must be aware that something is a sin, in order to be culpable. If you weren’t aware of it, unlike civil law, you cannot be held responsible. http://www.scborromeo.org/glad/c1.htm#q3 Q. Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on Sundays? The 3rd Commandment tells us to keep the Lord’s Day holy. In Old Testament times, God’s people stopped working and gathered together for worship on the Sabbath, which was Saturday. However, the early Christians rested and came together to rejoice on Sunday because Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning. Sunday is not only a day of worship but a day of joy and family closeness. Now as to whether it is a mortal sin or not. The three criteria for determining if a sin is mortal were described under the question on mortal and venial sin. It is a grave matter to miss Mass on Sunday. If we have full knowledge that it is a sinful matter to violate one of the Ten Commandments because it violates God’s law, the second condition is met. If we realize that the 3rd Commandment requires us to gather together to worship and we know that it is a grave sinful matter to violate the Commandments, but the car won’t start and there is no other way to get to Mass, the third condition has not been met. If however, we simply miss Mass because there is something else we would rather be doing (like playing golf, going to the beach, etc.) then a deliberate act has taken place and a mortal sin has been committed. It’s like saying "I don’t love God enough to spend some of my time with Him." Recommended reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994, paragraphs 1857-1861 "Remember The Sabbath . . . Keep It Holy", Booklet #36, Catholic Information Service, Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 1971, New Haven CT 06521, 1967
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You have to ask yourself – are you going camping on purpose, just to miss Mass? No? Well, is there a Mass you can get to? No? Then I’d say don’t worry about it. Watch out for the sin of scrupulousness… — Assume I said "YMMV", Peace, Lisa http://users.javanet.com/~lanat/lisa.htm http://users.rcn.com/projectrachel http://users.javanet.com/~lanat/life.htm
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For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must all be met: the object must be a grave matter, it must be committed with full knowledge, and it must be committed with deliberate consent. I am not convinced that simply going away for the weekend, whatever the location, is a mortal sin. Then I suppose that exploring the Arctic is also a mortal sin? Simply traveling is not an occaision of sin. As I said before, if the intent of the travel were to avoid going to Mass, then it would most definitely be a sin. If the person makes absolutely no attempt to locate a Mass, knowing full well the requirement to attend Mass, then that would be deliberate sin. If the person is traveling, and attempts to locate a Mass, and it’s not available, then all three conditions are not met. I found the article below too, if this helps any. At the end, you will note that simply preferring another activity is considered a deliberate act. I would say that the activity would have to involve just the one day – because one could plan ahead, and go to Mass Saturday evening, or the early Mass on Sunday, and still go to the beach, right? But if you are going to be traveling, for a couple of days, then I’d say that if you try and find a Mass in your vicinity, and simply cannot, then you did your best, and should be all set. Also, you must be aware that something is a sin, in order to be culpable. If you weren’t aware of it, unlike civil law, you cannot be held responsible. http://www.scborromeo.org/glad/c1.htm#q3 Q. Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on Sundays? The 3rd Commandment tells us to keep the Lord’s Day holy. In Old Testament times, God’s people stopped working and gathered together for worship on the Sabbath, which was Saturday. However, the early Christians rested and came together to rejoice on Sunday because Jesus, Our Lord and Savior, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning. Sunday is not only a day of worship but a day of joy and family closeness. Now as to whether it is a mortal sin or not. The three criteria for determining if a sin is mortal were described under the question on mortal and venial sin. It is a grave matter to miss Mass on Sunday. If we have full knowledge that it is a sinful matter to violate one of the Ten Commandments because it violates God’s law, the second condition is met. If we realize that the 3rd Commandment requires us to gather together to worship and we know that it is a grave sinful matter to violate the Commandments, but the car won’t start and there is no other way to get to Mass, the third condition has not been met. If however, we simply miss Mass because there is something else we would rather be doing (like playing golf, going to the beach, etc.) then a deliberate act has taken place and a mortal sin has been committed. It’s like saying "I don’t love God enough to spend some of my time with Him." Recommended reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1994, paragraphs 1857-1861 "Remember The Sabbath . . . Keep It Holy", Booklet #36, Catholic Information Service, Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 1971, New Haven CT 06521, 1967
Response:
Thanks for your non-answer. This was my original post. I really would appreciate an answer on. Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin? I would appreciate not only a description of the difference but also an enumeration of some of the more major and common ones. My understanding was that it was a grave sin like murder and adultery. Recently, (and much to my shock) I have been told that missing mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. I would have never considered that in the same category. I could understand avoiding mass altogether but I would have never considered missing mass in the same league with murder.
You should get a copy of the CCC, as I said, and look through the section on the 10 commandments, but I’ll _briefly_ scan that section and give you a few more things, just to get you started: 2nd commandment: Breaking a solemn promise or oath, blasphemy, using God’s name as a curse or magical incantation, making a false oath, committing perjury. 3rd commandment: Missing Mass on Sunday or a holy day of obligation. Voluntarily doing unnecessary work on Sunday–that doesn’t mean lighting a match it means, for example, volunteering to work a Sunday shift without a good reason (poverty would be a good reason, for example) or going into the office after Sunday Mass to spend the day working on a report that you could do Monday or could have done Saturday. Spending time in recreation with your family is a very good thing to do on Sunday, and when you do so you are sanctifying the day in the way a Christian parent should, but you should make a serious effort to do it in a way that allows you to go to Mass and pray with your family. Requiring your employees to work on Sunday would be another one. (on the other hand–if you were in a situation where you employeed religious Jews you might be breaking the commandment by requiring them to work on Saturday or Friday evening). 4th commandment: Failure to make a reasonable effort to support your parents when they are old. Neglecting the duties of your state in life, failing to carry out your duties as husband and father, for example. Neglecting your children. Grave failure to obey people in authority over you, serious failure to obey the law. I found those by scanning the section on the 10 commandments in the CCC. You can make a more complete list by doing the same thing, and asking your confessor if you find something that applies to you that you aren’t sure about.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks for your non-answer. This was my original post. I really would appreciate an answer on. Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin? I would appreciate not only a description of the difference but also an enumeration of some of the more major and common ones. My understanding was that it was a grave sin like murder and adultery. Recently, (and much to my shock) I have been told that missing mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. I would have never considered that in the same category. I could understand avoiding mass altogether but I would have never considered missing mass in the same league with murder. One of the great joys of my life is to take a weekend off hiking in the mountains with the family after a tough week of work. Yes, I do miss mass when I do this over a weekend but I never thought I was committing a mortal sin by doing this. My understanding is that if I die with an unconfessed mortal sin I will go to hell. So if I die on Monday morning on my way back to work I’m headed for Hades. This seems a bit extreme. Am I missing something?
If you honestly did not know that it was a grave sin to miss Mass, you are not guilty of mortal sin. (Of course now that you know your behavior must be different). In order for a sin to be mortal, the sin has to be a grave one, you have to be aware that it is a grave sin, and there must be full consent of the will. Some grave sins: 1. "I am the Lord your God…You shall have no other Gods before me…You shall not bow down before (graven images) or serve them. This would include willfully and deliberately denying the faith, heresy, apostasy, schism, despair, presumption, hatred of God, outright failure to worship God and to practice your religion (merely not doing so as well as you should is a venial sin) not receiving Holy Communion at least once a year, idolatry, involvement in pagan or "New Age" worship, superstition, divination, magic, sorcery, sacrilege, receiving a Communion or the sacraments of Matrimony, Confirmation, or Holy Orders while in a state of sin, atheism, agnosticism, worshipping images or idols, for example. Again, in order for the sin to be mortal you have to _know_ that it is a serious sin at the time you committed it (finding out later doesn’t magically go back in time and turn a non-sin into a sin or a venial sin into a mortal sin), and you must give full consent of the will. My examples were from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, pp 2084 and following. Do you have a copy of that book? If you don’t, let me know in e-mail, and I’ll send you one. I’m tired of typing so I won’t go on. You can look for yourself. Just go through the section on the 10 commandments, and make a mental or paper list, like I have done above with the first commandment. Then, if you still have questions about specific sins, when you go to confession, you ask the priest, or you can come back to us in this thread, but you must realize that we are just a bunch of laymen you don’t even know, so you can take what we say with a grain of salt. If you see something in the CCC you can rely on it, of course. You will find the obligation to go to Mass every Sunday and Holiday in pp 2168ff. See especially p2181: "those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin."
Response:
Thanks for your non-answer. This was my original post. I really would appreciate an answer on. Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin? I would appreciate not only a description of the difference but also an enumeration of some of the more major and common ones. My understanding was that it was a grave sin like murder and adultery. Recently, (and much to my shock) I have been told that missing mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. I would have never considered that in the same category. I could understand avoiding mass altogether but I would have never considered missing mass in the same league with murder. One of the great joys of my life is to take a weekend off hiking in the mountains with the family after a tough week of work. Yes, I do miss mass when I do this over a weekend but I never thought I was committing a mortal sin by doing this. My understanding is that if I die with an unconfessed mortal sin I will go to hell. So if I die on Monday morning on my way back to work I’m headed for Hades. This seems a bit extreme. Am I missing something? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin? Whatever God considers a mortal sin. After all, He’s doing the judging.
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Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin?
Whatever God considers a mortal sin. After all, He’s doing the judging.
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My understanding was that it was a grave sin like murder and adultery. Recently, (and much to my shock) I have been told that missing mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. I would have never considered that in the same category.
Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God above all else … Is not missing Mass and refusing to honor God a violation of the greatest commandment ??? The second greatest commandment is to love thy neighbor like thyself … granted murder and the like are much more heinous sounding than missing Mass … but consider it in the eternity of everlasting life … One of the great joys of my life is to take a weekend off hiking in the mountains with the family after a tough week of work. Yes, I do miss mass when I do this over a weekend but I never thought I was committing a mortal sin by doing this.
To be legalistic … If there is no church within 30 miles of where you are … there is no obligation to attend Mass … now deliberately putting yourself in that situation may or may not be a serious violation … We went on a cruise that left at 4PM on a Saturday and did not hit land until 8 AM on Monday … obviously we did not go to Mass … but there was no sin … In the Village …. I am not a number … I am a free man !!!!
Response:
Am I missing something? Yes you are. There are three conditions for a mortal sin. It must be grave offense. You must know it’s a grave offense. You must willfully do it. There are many who will disagree with me on this, but this puts the entire burden on you as to what is a mortal sin and what is not. I think you first need to determine what sin is. To think you can find a rule book and live by it is foolish. Christ Jesus did not teach this. He taught two great commandments and they should be looked at from the perspective of how one lives and realizes unity with God. The best definition of sin I ever read is that sin is "That which separates us from God." Your job in this life is not to avoid sin but to embark on the spiritual journey and build a personal relationship with God. If you worry about sin, you are looking at the glass as half empty. Forget it. The glass is half full and the Christian life is about filling it. Just as living with a human mate, you build a relationship by avoiding others you build it by positive acts of compassion and love. The don’ts only help, but don’t guarantee, an orderly process. Don’t worry about avoiding sin, live by filling your glass. That is what Christ taught. The rest is legalistic nonsense that Christ actually preached against. Dan
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin? I would appreciate not only a description of the difference but also an enumeration of some of the more major and common ones. Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God. It is mortal as it deprives the sinner of sanctifying grace, the supernatural life of the soul. To make a sin mortal, three things are necessary: 1.) the thought, desire, word, action, or omission must be seriously wrong or considered seriously wrong. 2.) the sinner must be mindful of the serious wrong. 3.) the sinner must fully consent to it. My understanding was that it was a grave sin like murder and adultery. Recently, (and much to my shock) I have been told that missing mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. I would have never considered that in the same category. I could understand avoiding mass altogether but I would have never considered missing mass in the same league with murder. To break any of the Ten Commandments is to commit a mortal sin. To help you, here is an examination of conscience: 1) I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me. — Do I seek to love God with my whole heart and soul? Does He truly hold the first place in my life — Have I been involved with the occult or superstitious practices?
occult(adj) not disclosed, secret. eg occult blood — Have I ever received Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin? — Have I told a lie in confession or deliberately withheld a mortal sin? 3) Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. — Have I missed Mass deliberately on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, or on Holy Days of Obligation? — Do I try to keep Sunday as a day of rest? Please, this is not in the same league as murder. snip 5) You shall not kill. — Have I mutilated myself through any form of sterilization?
……neither is this — Have I encouraged others to have themselves sterilized? — Have I harbored hatred, anger or resentment in my heart towards anyone?
….honestly who hasn’t? — Have I given scandal to anyone by my sins, thereby leading them into sin? 6) You shall not commit adultery. — Have I been unfaithful to my marriage vows in action or thought? — Have I practiced any form of artificial contraception in my marriage?
This is’nt adultery – it’s taking responsibility for your actions, your fertility, and your future children’s opportunities. — Have I been engaged in sexual activity with a member of the opposite sex or the same sex? — Have I masturbated? (self-abuse)
This isn’t adultery, it isn’t self abuse, its masturbation. — Have I indulged in pornographic material? — Am I pure in my thoughts, words, actions? Am I modest in dress? — Am I engaged in any inappropriate relationships? I know some marriages that are inappropriate relationships. That doesn’t
make them adulterous, just inappropriate. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -snip Carroll
Response:
Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin? I would appreciate not only a description of the difference but also an enumeration of some of the more major and common ones. My understanding was that it was a grave sin like murder and adultery. Recently, (and much to my shock) I have been told that missing mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. I would have never considered that in the same category. I could understand avoiding mass altogether but I would have never considered missing mass in the same league with murder. One of the great joys of my life is to take a weekend off hiking in the mountains with the family after a tough week of work. Yes, I do miss mass when I do this over a weekend but I never thought I was committing a mortal sin by doing this. My understanding is that if I die with an unconfessed mortal sin I will go to hell. So if I die on Monday morning on my way back to work I’m headed for Hades. This seems a bit extreme. Am I missing something?
Response:
Could someone please describe to me what constitutes a mortal sin? I would appreciate not only a description of the difference but also an enumeration of some of the more major and common ones.
Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God. It is mortal as it deprives the sinner of sanctifying grace, the supernatural life of the soul. To make a sin mortal, three things are necessary: 1.) the thought, desire, word, action, or omission must be seriously wrong or considered seriously wrong. 2.) the sinner must be mindful of the serious wrong. 3.) the sinner must fully consent to it. My understanding was that it was a grave sin like murder and adultery. Recently, (and much to my shock) I have been told that missing mass on Sunday is a mortal sin. I would have never considered that in the same category. I could understand avoiding mass altogether but I would have never considered missing mass in the same league with murder.
To break any of the Ten Commandments is to commit a mortal sin. To help you, here is an examination of conscience: 1) I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me. — Do I seek to love God with my whole heart and soul? Does He truly hold the first place in my life — Have I been involved with the occult or superstitious practices? — Have I ever received Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin? — Have I told a lie in confession or deliberately withheld a mortal sin? 2) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. — Have I insulted God’s holy name or used it lightly or carelessly? — Have I wished evil on anyone? (consider persons you may consider enemies) 3) Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. — Have I missed Mass deliberately on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, or on Holy Days of Obligation? — Do I try to keep Sunday as a day of rest? 4) Honor your father and your mother. — Do I honor and obey my parents? Do I care for them in their old age? — Have I neglected my family responsibilities to spouse and children? — Is my family life centered around Christ and his teaching? 5) You shall not kill. — Have I murdered or physically harmed anyone? — Have I had an abortion? Have I encouraged an abortion? — Have I mutilated myself through any form of sterilization? — Have I encouraged others to have themselves sterilized? — Have I harbored hatred, anger or resentment in my heart towards anyone? — Have I given scandal to anyone by my sins, thereby leading them into sin? 6) You shall not commit adultery. — Have I been unfaithful to my marriage vows in action or thought? — Have I practiced any form of artificial contraception in my marriage? — Have I been engaged in sexual activity with a member of the opposite sex or the same sex? — Have I masturbated? (self-abuse) — Have I indulged in pornographic material? — Am I pure in my thoughts, words, actions? Am I modest in dress? — Am I engaged in any inappropriate relationships? 7) You shall not steal. — Have I taken what is not mine? — Am I honest with my employer/employees? — Do I gamble excessively thereby robbing my family of their needs? — Do I seek to share what I have with the poor and needy? 
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. — Have I lied, gossiped or spoken behind anyone’s back? — Have I ruined anyone’s good name? — Do I reveal information that should be confidential? — Am I sincere in my dealings with others or am I "two-faced?" 9) You shall not desire your neighbor’s wife. — Am I envious of another’s spouse or family? — Have I consented to impure thoughts? Do I try to control my imagination? — Am I reckless and irresponsible in the books I read and the movies I watch? 10) You shall not desire your neighbor’s goods. — Am I envious of the possessions of others? — Am I resentful and bitter over my position in life? The chief sources of actual sin are: pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. Carroll
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