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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Reading about sexual things	Frank	Monday, June 7, 2010
Question: Hello, I have a question i would greatly appreciate your insight on. I have been struggling with pornography for a while now and recently in order to avoid looking at the images i would read stories people had posted on websites relating their sexual encounters and such. So i was wondering is it still a mortal sin to simply read things that are about sexual encounters or would it be considered a venial sin?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Frank: It shouldn't matter to you whether something is venial or mortal. We are not to sin. Period. Saints such as Teresa of Ávila, Maria Goretti, and others said they would rather die than to commit even venial sin, let alone a mortal one. With that said, what you describe is a form of pornography and thus is grave sin. It is especially bad since you have a problem with pornography and are looking for excuses to justify your illicit sexual thrills. Lust is a grave sin likened to adultery according to Jesus. Stop it. We are not only to avoid ALL sin, we are to avoid the near occasion of sin. If you are having trouble with pornography then I recommend that you join our Catholic Support Group for Sexual Addiction Recovery. This group can help you to stop sinning, if you really wish to stop sinning. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Reading about sexual things

Frank

Monday, June 7, 2010

Question:

Hello,
I have a question i would greatly appreciate your insight on. I have been struggling with pornography for a while now and recently in order to avoid looking at the images i would read stories people had posted on websites relating their sexual encounters and such.

So i was wondering is it still a mortal sin to simply read things that are about sexual encounters or would it be considered a venial sin?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Frank:

It shouldn't matter to you whether something is venial or mortal. We are not to sin. Period. Saints such as Teresa of Ávila, Maria Goretti, and others said they would rather die than to commit even venial sin, let alone a mortal one.

With that said, what you describe is a form of pornography and thus is grave sin. It is especially bad since you have a problem with pornography and are looking for excuses to justify your illicit sexual thrills. Lust is a grave sin likened to adultery according to Jesus.

Stop it. We are not only to avoid ALL sin, we are to avoid the near occasion of sin. If you are having trouble with pornography then I recommend that you join our Catholic Support Group for Sexual Addiction Recovery. This group can help you to stop sinning, if you really wish to stop sinning.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum