What is the sin if you wish someone dead?

[Chronos]

Matthew 5:21-22:

21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, a and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister b c will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ d is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

[Jackmannii]

And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

That does it. 99% of Dopers are going to hell.

But we already knew that.

[markn_1]

What if you believe in God but wish He were dead? That must be some kind of super-duper uber-sin.

[NDP]

@Son_of_a_Rich

I have the feeling that it’s likely to be a sin, but I’m not sure which one. It can’t be Love thy Neighbor, because someone half a continent away from me can hardly be called my neighbor.

This person you wish was dead isn’t a particular real-estate-developer-turned-politician who’s presently out of office? If so, I identify with you and will get some satisfaction if a certain event that’s supposed to happen in a few days actually does occur. That said, what you’re feeling is an extension of wrath/anger and the only advice I can give you is from a derided chapter from a popular space opera.

"Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate.. to suffering"

[JRDelirious]

Right. The Sermon on the Mount brings up several items that are sins of thought. And the Ten Comandments explicitly condemn coveting.

(In the confessional prayer it is mentioned that you sin by action, by word, by thought and by omission – so, yeah, if you are a Christian of most mainstream traditions, wishing death on someone out of ill will is a sin. Now, how seriously did you entertain that thought does count for something at least in Catholicism)

@AHunter3

the classic Christian theological notion of sin, that it wasn’t like a criminal offense against someone else, it was a corruption within you the sinner.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: “Mortal sin ( * ) destroys charity in the heart of man…it turns man away from God. Venial sin ( ** ) allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it.”

( * deliberate, conscientious violation of grave matter in direct opposition to what God commands)
( ** mere failure to meet the moral standard )

@Beesnest

I did not think the 7 deadly sins were biblical and they are not listed together as sins in the bible . The list was complied by an early Pope.

Right, it’s not directly biblical but comes from teachings of Gregory the Great and other church fathers – often referred as the “capital vices” in that they are patters of thought and deed that “engender other sins, other vices” i.e. they are general ways of acting and thinking that in turn lead into the specific acts and thoughts that are mortal sin.