[narses]

Nope. There are huge differences (please forgive the simile) between venial sins and mortal sins and between those sins that are inherently criminal and those that are inherently personal. It is like trying to compare a diet issue with a theft issue. Both may have moral and or ethical issues attached, but they differ greatly in how they are and ought to be treated. The 'deacon' (if he really is in Holy Orders and if he really has had anything close to a tradtional seminary foundation) knows this, or ought to know this. Fornication, adultery and homosexual conduct are enormously harmful to both the participants and to society. They have been illegal for aeons, for good reason. Gluttony, private and solitary drunkedness and personal sexual abuse (to list just a few sins) are of a different order and nature. The 'deacon' and the libertines would lump all sins and all crimes and infractions together and then claim that they are all equally unimprotant. Manifestly untrue.

[sinkspur]

You talk about me, ping me.

I think that ought to be illegal, too, narses.

A night in the box, for you.

[Torie]

I suspect you are ascribing your own weights to the assorted and sundry sins, rather than those of your church. Perhaps it is time that you just came out of the closet, and stopped hiding behind the skirts of your church as the primary fuel for your passions.

[timm22]

Gluttony, private and solitary drunkedness and personal sexual abuse (to list just a few sins) are of a different order and nature. The 'deacon' and the libertines would lump all sins and all crimes and infractions together and then claim that they are all equally unimprotant. Manifestly untrue.

Fair enough. I went through several years of Catholic education, so I am a little familiar with the concept of venial vs. mortal sins, but could you help claify a few things for me? Like, who or what determines which sins are venial and which are mortal? What standard or consideration is used?

And were my teachers incorrect in asserting that sexual self-abuse and improper dwelling upon sexual thoughts are mortal sins?