How common is mortal sin?

[upbeatjonm]

As a cradle Catholic, I went to Catholic grade school, high school and even Catholic college. Whenever I was taught about mortal sin, the teachers always gave examples of grave sins such as murder, adultery, robbery, abortion,etc. This led me to believe that these were the types of things that would send you to hell if you were not forgiven. However, in recent years, as I have been studying the faith more, it seems that virtually everything sinful is "grave", such as a lustful look, masturbation, missing a single mass, etc.

It now seems as though mortal sin must be very common, even though people don't seem to realize it. That's probably why confession lines are so short.

How common are mortal sins for the average person? Do they commit them daily? Weekly, yearly?

[tessi]

Originally Posted by upbeatjonm

It now seems as though mortal sin must be very common, even though people don't seem to realize it. That's probably why confession lines are so short.

How common are mortal sins for the average person? Do they commit them daily? Weekly, yearly?

If you receive Sacraments frequently, mortal sin is not common. I think the average person commits mortal sins very often. For instance, they miss Sunday Mass every now and then and it doesn't seem important. I was educated in that line that only "big sins" were mortal sins but I learnt that the Church did not teach what they told me at school.

[jcoldc]

[QUOTE
It now seems as though mortal sin must be very common, even though people don't seem to realize it. That's probably why confession lines are so short.
QUOTE]


Well in order for it to be a mortal sin it needs to be:
1. a grave matter (what you are talking about)
2. you need to know it's a grave matter (to debate what you said above)
3. you need to have done it with your full consent (ie. not under duress, perhaps doing something subconsciously etc.)

So I guess there would be doubt that mortal sin would be that common. However, I think one could debate where is the line of full consent, or knowing it's a grave matter.

Personally I do agree that mortal sins are common, particularly among certain age groups. (ie. young people more likely to commit sexual sins than older people. Even married couples who are using ABC are committing mortal sin, whereas an older couple who is no longer fertile is not.)

And yes, missing mass is a mortal sin. So think of how many people are sinning there. Also a mortal sin, going to communion without being in the state of grace. Of course this has to be contingent on knowing you've committed a mortal sin.

However, staying blissfully ignorant about one's faith (not that you're saying that -just interjecting my fleeting feelings at times) just so you can say you don't know what is a mortal sin, doesn't wash either. It is our duty to learn and continue to grow in our faith.

[bilop]

Originally Posted by upbeatjonm

As a cradle Catholic, I went to Catholic grade school, high school and even Catholic college. Whenever I was taught about mortal sin, the teachers always gave examples of grave sins such as murder, adultery, robbery, abortion,etc. This led me to believe that these were the types of things that would send you to hell if you were not forgiven. However, in recent years, as I have been studying the faith more, it seems that virtually everything sinful is "grave", such as a lustful look, masturbation, missing a single mass, etc.

It now seems as though mortal sin must be very common, even though people don't seem to realize it. That's probably why confession lines are so short.

How common are mortal sins for the average person? Do they commit them daily? Weekly, yearly?

Personally, I would say I was in mortal sin for about 18-20 years of my life, from my confirmation through about age 34. Missing Mass frequently, never going to confession, and then sexual sins. At my worst, I was probably committing 5-10 mortal sins per week.

Since I've become a faithful Catholic, I would say rarely, if ever. Some things (e.g. Lust, impure thought, spontaneous blashphemy) are debatable and hard to ascertain if venial or mortal. If I'm in doubt, I go to confession right away.

In general, I would say mortal sin is very common. Between skipping Mass, Artificial Birth Control, receiving the Eucharist while not in a state of grace, masturbation, and fornication, I would say that a majority of catholics commit mortal sin weekly.

God Bless

[rwoehmke]

I am not going to estimate the rate of mortal sin in the population, but I would point out that while murder, missing Mass,grand theft, and a plethora of sexual matters seem to take the spotlight, most people neglect the demands of justice. We don't pay people a living wage, we seem to feel that the laborer is just another line in the cost of goods sold. We turn corn into gasoline for our SUV's while people in the world are starving. Etc., Etc., Etc. Americans use a huge part of the world's resources and contribute the largest loads of pollutants to the ecosphere and get our unders in a twist about masturbation. I don't have a problem with that particular sin, but I fear what the Lord is going to say about my abuse of the various types of justice. I do not hate my country. I do not hate Americans, but I do think we are capable of better.

[bilop]

Originally Posted by rwoehmke

I am not going to estimate the rate of mortal sin in the population, but I would point out that while murder, missing Mass,grand theft, and a plethora of sexual matters seem to take the spotlight, most people neglect the demands of justice. We don't pay people a living wage, we seem to feel that the laborer is just another line in the cost of goods sold. We turn corn into gasoline for our SUV's while people in the world are starving. Etc., Etc., Etc. Americans use a huge part of the world's resources and contribute the largest loads of pollutants to the ecosphere and get our unders in a twist about masturbation. I don't have a problem with that particular sin, but I fear what the Lord is going to say about my abuse of the various types of justice. I do not hate my country. I do not hate Americans, but I do think we are capable of better.

I have a hard time with a lot of what you are claiming as sins.

If a person as an individual employer defrauds his workers or pays a sub-minimum wage, yes that is a sin. Or, if you dump pollutants illegally, it might be a sin.

But, there is no "collective sin" for the general pollution caused by the economy. Or general use of "resources" as long as you are paying for the "resources" you use.

In terms of pollution and abuse of workers, developing countries like China are FAR, FAR worse than the U.S.

God Bless

[Michael96]

I think we need to avoid bith extremes here.

I have heard people say it's very very difficult to commit a mortal sin (and even murder may not be under the full control of the person and so while grave is not mortal). This seems nonsense to me.

And then I hear people describe all sorts of little things as mortal sins which just seems to totally lack perspective to me.

And I'm not sure it's that helpful to worry too much about it; I would advocate a daily examination of conscience at the end of the day (as that's when you can remember all the little things) in prayer and then repent all sins and ask Christ to help you do better tomorrow. That way I think we can grow in Christ rather than worrying about what binary level is ascribed to each sin.

Repent all sins

[jcoldc]

Rwoehmke, I have to agree with bilop. I think it's hard to tell people they are commiting mortal sins because of what, say the government or society has dictated as necesary. For example, are we expected to walk to work so we don't use gas? Most of us would be unable to do that. Unless you are personally specifically doing some of the sins you mentioned, I don't see how you could hold everyone accountable. Do you think God will hold you accountable because the US has legal abortions? If you stand for pro-life and try to support that, I don't see how the answer could be -yes. Some things just aren't your fault.


[quote=Michael96;3562128]I think we need to avoid bith extremes here.

I have heard people say it's very very difficult to commit a mortal sin (and even murder may not be under the full control of the person and so while grave is not mortal). This seems nonsense to me.

Michael96, sorry but those are the conditions of mortal sin. Your example was of murder. I would think every Catholic capable of cognitive thought knows that murder is a mortal sin. I don't see how that could be a shocker. So that would meet two of the three criteria for mortal sin (being of grave matter and knowing it is grave matter.) The third condition is commiting murder of full consent. There are several ways someone can commit murder not of their consent or under duress. For example -someone broke into your home and was attacking you or a loved one, but in self defense you killed them. That would be under duress. Now if he surrendered or tried to walk away, and you said "to heck with it" and shot him anyway, that would be a mortal sin. Here's another, recently in the news a woman was pregnant and didn't want to have an abortion. But her boyfriend didn't want to be saddled with a kid. So he put a morning after or abortive drug of some kind in her yogurt without her knowing it. While she chose to eat the yogurt, she did not choose to abort the baby. She participated but did not consent. It was not a mortal sin.

I hope that clears it up.

[teachccd]

Originally Posted by jcoldc

Of course this has to be contingent on knowing you've committed a mortal sin.

If you don't know that you committed a mortal sin then you didn't. You cannot commit a mortal sin unknowingly................teachccd

[teachccd]

Originally Posted by bilop

In general, I would say mortal sin is very common. Between skipping Mass, Artificial Birth Control, receiving the Eucharist while not in a state of grace, masturbation, and fornication, I would say that a majority of catholics commit mortal sin weekly.

God Bless

Again, we must be very careful here. Many Catholics' actions may be of serious nature but not necessarily a mortal sin. Our Church teaches that for a sin to be mortal the three conditions mentioned before MUST be present. An ACT IS NOT a mortal sin in and of itself. It MUST be accompanied by the three conditions taught by our Church.

I would tend to say that a great majority DO NOT commit mortal sin because they lack either full knowledge or full consent. Someone, like myself, who has been studying the faith for a few years now could more easily fall into mortal sin. And even then the condition of FULL consent could be a gray area.

It's always best to use the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly and hear what the priest tells you about your individual state. Wondering how common mortal sin is has no bearing when you are finally judged............God Bless...................teachccd

[rwoehmke]

I am certainly not saying that we are committing collective mortal sins. We make individual choices in matters of justice every day. Are we committing mortal sins? Only if the three conditions are met. The point is that some of these justice issues can rise to grave matter for some individual persons. We as a group, forum, or whatever don't seem to talk much about these things as matters of potential sin against justice. There is a plethora of documents starting with Leo XIII's encyclical rerum novara that touch on such things. We seem to tend more to focus on issues of sexual purity, which I admit are much more common than screwing an employee out of a just wage or denying workers the right to organize.

[zjl56]

Originally Posted by teachccd

Again, we must be very careful here. Many Catholics' actions may be of serious nature but not necessarily a mortal sin. Our Church teaches that for a sin to be mortal the three conditions mentioned before MUST be present. An ACT IS NOT a mortal sin in and of itself. It MUST be accompanied by the three conditions taught by our Church.

I would tend to say that a great majority DO NOT commit mortal sin because they lack either full knowledge or full consent. Someone, like myself, who has been studying the faith for a few years now could more easily fall into mortal sin. And even then the condition of FULL consent could be a gray area.

It's always best to use the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly and hear what the priest tells you about your individual state. Wondering how common mortal sin is has no bearing when you are finally judged............God Bless...................teachccd

Well, we must make it aware to everyone that we live in a time where the collective works of the Faith are available with just a few clicks. I realize that many people may not be fully aware, but ignorance is something that shouldn't be a problem. So we can't ignore issue and we must proclaim our true morality, for by accepting this ignorance it is a sin on our part to not help people understand the fullness of catholic faith.

[jcoldc]

Originally Posted by zjl56

Well, we must make it aware to everyone that we live in a time where the collective works of the Faith are available with just a few clicks. I realize that many people may not be fully aware, but ignorance is something that shouldn't be a problem. So we can't ignore issue and we must proclaim our true morality, for by accepting this ignorance it is a sin on our part to not help people understand the fullness of catholic faith.

Yes, I agree. I mentioned something similar too. Sometimes sin and that guilty feeling,I believe, are guiding us to "crack open" the CCC and find out what we're doing. I believe the way it happens for me is something like this.

1. I commit a sin or (or perhaps not), but somehow feel guilty.

2. Look up to see where it fits in the sin categories or go to confession (since I'm probably headed there anyway.)

3. Might not have been a sin for me originally, since I didn't know it originally, however I know it for next time

[zjl56]

I agree with your view on guilts, and how having guilt is a blessing. We hate having guilt, but so often our inner guilt is dead on and leading us to the right direction. Too often people just base everything on the 10 commandments, which while good, are just too vague. So we must all learn to have a broader sense of what constitutes a major sin, and how to rely on the wonderful gift from God that is our moral compass.
What has squashed this is multitudes of people saying that this sin or that is nothing to worry about, and said people go about doing it when they really need to consult a priest.
People thus accept sin into their lives and abandon their moral compasses.
If this cycle continues for many years, as it has in our case, whole devastating sins have been marked as "alright" due to a lifetime of reassurance as ok, leading to an enormous problem that must be tackled.

There's my rant on guilt.

[Ramalama]

Originally Posted by rwoehmke

. . . denying workers the right to organize.

Is that a grave matter. I didn't even know it was a sin. Or did that smile mean you were joking?