What is a mortal sin?

Depends.

Being a glutton and eating 7 cheesecakes is not the same as dismembering your mother.

The 10 commandments are reminders of right conduct and there is no fiery hell…just pointers towards living the best life you are able.

Mortal sin is the deliberate action that furthers yourself away from God. Depending on what you do, breaking the 10 Commandments can be mortal.

Mortal Sin: Sin committed by Mortals.

join the club

All I know is mortal sin is really,really, really, really bad.

“Mortal sin” is a rather Catholic distinction. Mainstream Protestant (that is, non-Catholic) Christianity holds that one sin as damning as any other.

From judging and hurting people’s feelings to killing- all that is mortal sin. Anything that hurts or harms another living creature is a mortal sin.

I think it’s a Catholic thing.

A sin that damns you if you don’t atone and die. Regular sins will just send you to purgatory. According to Catholics at least.

I think my Catholic doctrine book from the 1950s is quickly becoming my most referenced book for answering Fluther Q’s.

“Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God… Examples are blasphemy, wilful (sic) murder, adultery, arson, robbery, etc… Mortal sin occurs as soon as God is no longer our final end in our thoughts, words and actions… Each mortal sin is a three-fold insult to God: by disobedience, ingratitude, and contempt… [Extenuating] circumstances enhance or decrease the guilt of the sin.”

“This sin is called mortal, or deadly, because it deprives the sinner of sanctifying grace, the supernatural life of the soul… Without sanctifying grace, the soul is displeasing to God, unclean and can never behold Him or be with Him in heaven… without God, the devil makes the soul his habitation.”

“During all the time the sinner remains in mortal sin, all his good works do not help him to heaven.”

“However numerous the merits previously earned by the sinner, if he dies with only one mortal sin on his soul, he goes to hell forever.”

Three criteria:

1. The sin must be seriously wrong or considered seriously wrong.

2. The sinner must be mindful of and have full knowledge and reflection or attention that what he does is grievous and seriously wrong.

Stealing a diamond that one believes is glass does not equal full knowledge. Carelessly tossing a lit match into a gas tank is not full attention.

3. The sinner must fully consent to it. He must do it of his own free will.

“Mortal sin is the greatest evil in all the world.”

Using the salad fork for the main course. Water spots on wine glasses. Improperly shined boots. Failing to clean your rifle. Having an IQ over 180. Being autistic. Being ugly. Removing mattress tags. Questioning authority. Outliving your usefulness. Coveting thy neighbors ass.

It is meant to mean a certain hell for your soul, no hope of enough hail marys to save you.
@kevbo
Like what Joseph Alois Ratzinger did when he hid the facts behind that Priest, Laurence Murphy, in Wisconsin, and of course, what that priest did.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/91801904.html

@cazzie, yeah that’s an excellent point.