Books

[Philomena]

I was thinking about a book I read a several months ago last night (can't remember its name) but I remember certain components of the plot, which had potentially sinful elements in it, like implied rape and torture of a character. Now I am really worried that I have committed a mortal sin. There were no graphic descriptions in the book or anything but I am concerned because the innuendo is there and repeated by different characters. I realized that I probably shouldn’t read the book, but I did anyway, so could it have been a mortal sin?

Also, if an author were to write a book with this type of content, could they possibly sin through this?

Thanks.

Maria

[phatcatholic]

[quote name='Philomena' date='Dec 20 2005, 06:19 PM']I was thinking about a book I read a several months ago last night (can't remember its name) but I remember certain components of the plot, which had potentially sinful elements in it, like implied rape and torture of a character. Now I am really worried that I have committed a mortal sin. There were no graphic descriptions in the book or anything but I am concerned because the innuendo is there and repeated by different characters. I realized that I probably shouldn’t read the book, but I did anyway, so could it have been a mortal sin?[/quote]
well, it all depends on what your true motivation was for reading the book. if it was to fantasize over these elements or to satisfy an undue curiousity with them, then this would be sinful. just ask yourself why you read it anyway, even tho you knew that it had some sketchy elements to it. if your reasons are unjust, then you have sinned. those reasons will also help you to determine if you have sinned mortally or venially.


[quote]Also, if an author were to write a book with this type of content, could they possibly sin through this? [/quote]
it would depend on why he was adding in these elements and how prominent these elements were in the book. if he was writing w/ the purpose of glorifying rape and torture or to give people the opportunity to fantasize over these acts, then this would be sinful. however, if he was writing an educational and/or academic work about the psychological effects of rape and torture, then this would be acceptable, and even laudable, if it helped people who have gone thru this to heal and understand their experience. or, if he was writing a novel which included the rape of a character as an element of the plot, perhaps of a woman who experiences this trauma but then overcomes it to find love and happiness, then this too would be acceptable since the incident existed within a larger story. as with many moral dilemmas, so much of it depends on why we do the things we do.

pax christi,
phatcatholic