Sin against the Holy Spirit

[PadrePioOfPietrelcino]

The Bible tells us (I can't find the verse right now) that the only unforgivable sin is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. I have never really heard an explination as to what this entails. Could you help?

Ben

[phatcatholic]

there are usually six sins listed as being "against the Holy Spirit": despair, presumption, impenitence or a fixed determination not to repent, obstinacy, resisting the known truth, and envy of another's spiritual welfare. impenitence is the only one among them that is unforgiveable in the absolute sense. impenitence is a sin against the Holy Spirit in the sense that you reject the Holy Spirit that grants the forgiveness of sin, and no sin can be forgiven that isn't confessed w/ a contrite heart.

all the other sins are "unforgiveable" insofar as they lead a person towards final impenitence. despair can cause us to think to ourselves, "God won't forgive me" or "God can't forgive me." this, of course, leads us to reject the forgiveness of the Spirit b/c it is "pointless" or "meaningless" or "ineffective." presumption leads to impenitence b/c it causes us to assume that we are in right relationship w/ the Lord, and thus do not need forgivness, when we really do. obstinancy can cause us to refuse the Spirit even tho we know we need it. resisting the known truth would lead to unforgivness b/c it consists of a person denying that the Holy Spirit forgives sin through the sacrament of penance or through a prayer made in perfect contrition, thus, why repent? envy does this by causing us to reject the Spirit b/c we are bitter that another person has been blessed so abundantly and we seemingly have not. this would thus cause contempt towards the Spirit for not blessing us as equally as our neighbor.

the Pocket Catholic Dictionary summarizes this rather nicely:[list][b]SINS AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT.[/b] Major offenses that carry a stubborn resistance to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and a contempt of his gifts. They are despair of one's salvation, envy of another's spiritual good, opposing known truths of faith, obstinacy in sin, presumption of God's mercy, and final impenitence. Because those who sin in this way, resisting grace, do not wish to repent, we say that their sins cannot be forgiven them.
[/list]i hope that helps

pax christi,
phatcatholic