Author Topic: When does anger become mortal sin? (Read 2420 times)

InfiniteFaith · « **on:** March 17, 2014, 01:38:52 PM »

Lets say that you are sitting around thinking about an injustice that has been done to you, and your natural reaction causes you to become angry and start dealing with thoughts of revenge. Note how I said "natural reaction". So fi this desire was natural would it be a mortal sin? Or would you have to realize, at some point, that this desire is mortally sinful then continue to dwell on the desire, unchecked, for it to be mortally sinful?

BTNYC · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2014, 03:13:14 PM »

Quote from: InfiniteFaith

Lets say that you are sitting around thinking about an injustice that has been done to you, and your natural reaction causes you to become angry and start dealing with thoughts of revenge. Note how I said "natural reaction". So fi this desire was natural would it be a mortal sin? Or would you have to realize, at some point, that this desire is mortally sinful then continue to dwell on the desire, unchecked, for it to be mortally sinful?

It is analogous to the sin of lust. If an intrusive carnal thought enters the mind, that is not in and of itself sinful, and as long as you resist the thought, you commit no sin.

Entertaining carnal thoughts, however, is the sin of lust, just as entertaining thoughts of vengeance is the sin of wrath. Our Lord makes the analogy as well: saying that entertaining angry thoughts about one's brother is killing him in one's heart, just as entertaining lustful thoughts is committing adultery in one's heart.

Emotion is not without its place. Its proper place in man is as a motivator to action, but we must guard ourselves that our emotions impel us toward good and holy actions, not sinful ones.

JoeZ · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2014, 03:36:35 PM »

If I may,

agreeing with BTNYC
Anger is an emotion, not a thought or sin at all. Like all things that belong to the material plane, it is in the use of it that one merits or sins. Christ's anger at the Jews for turning His Father's house into a den of thieves was used by Him to motivate Himself to construct a whip and use it to drive them out. If the fruit of ones action is bad or wrong, they have sinned using anger, but if the fruit of one's actions is good then they have merited. The severity of the fruit either way will help determine mortal sin. Also, free will must be involved which mitigates those times one just "flies off the handle".

I hope I've helped,
JoeZ

InfiniteFaith · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2014, 03:40:02 PM »

Quote from: BTNYC

Quote from: InfiniteFaith
Lets say that you are sitting around thinking about an injustice that has been done to you, and your natural reaction causes you to become angry and start dealing with thoughts of revenge. Note how I said "natural reaction". So fi this desire was natural would it be a mortal sin? Or would you have to realize, at some point, that this desire is mortally sinful then continue to dwell on the desire, unchecked, for it to be mortally sinful?

It is analogous to the sin of lust. If an intrusive carnal thought enters the mind, that is not in and of itself sinful, and as long as you resist the thought, you commit no sin.

Entertaining carnal thoughts, however, is the sin of lust, just as entertaining thoughts of vengeance is the sin of wrath. Our Lord makes the analogy as well: saying that entertaining angry thoughts about one's brother is killing him in one's heart, just as entertaining lustful thoughts is committing adultery in one's heart.

Emotion is not without its place. Its proper place in man is as a motivator to action, but we must guard ourselves that our emotions impel us toward good and holy actions, not sinful ones.

I suppose that my question has everything to do with "entertaining" things. So if you are angry about something then start thinking about physically harming someone else it is always mortal sin?

Reason I am asking is because I find myself in this situation, but then eventually I realize I need to stop. Then I stop. It seems I am not entertaining it because eventually I realize what I am doing then I make an effort to stop. My concern is that I may have committed mortal sin since it is one of those things that can be mortally sinful. It seems to me that it would become mortal sin at the point where I realize it is a grave matter and then I keep entertaining it after that point. Am I right?

InfiniteFaith · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2014, 03:42:17 PM »

Quote from: JoeZ

If I may,

agreeing with BTNYC
Anger is an emotion, not a thought or sin at all. Like all things that belong to the material plane, it is in the use of it that one merits or sins. Christ's anger at the Jews for turning His Father's house into a den of thieves was used by Him to motivate Himself to construct a whip and use it to drive them out. If the fruit of ones action is bad or wrong, they have sinned using anger, but if the fruit of one's actions is good then they have merited. The severity of the fruit either way will help determine mortal sin. Also, free will must be involved which mitigates those times one just "flies off the handle".

I hope I've helped,
JoeZ

I think so. A lot of times I start day dreaming or thinking about something and then it isn't until later that I realize it is mortally sinful. I don't think I am culpable for it as a mortal sin until I realize what I am doing and then continue to do it.