Any help with scruples?

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coleraine

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hi. i think im dealing with scruples. i know deep down that im fine. i just cant stop over-anylizing things. its like im obsessed with it. my priest told me that many a time scruples are actually satan trying to make you feel bad about yourself. im not sure what to do. any advice?
 
Scruples are the result of thinking that religion is adherence to a set of rules and regulations. While rules and regulations are the result of systematized religion, they are not what religion is about. Religion is about loving God.
Ask yourself how your behavior reflects your love of God. Ignore the business of “have I broken a rule?” Concentrate rather on loving God. See in your life choices the love of God demonstrated in your treatment of those around you. Think more of the other and you will go far toward conquering scrupulosity.
Another thing you might consider is that in your zeal to always please God, it is extremely unlikely that you could ever give full consent of your will to any evil-doing. Nothing you do is likely to be a mortal sin under these circumstances.

Matthew
 
drafdog said:
Scruples are the result of thinking that religion is adherence to a set of rules and regulations. While rules and regulations are the result of systematized religion, they are not what religion is about. Religion is about loving God.
Ask yourself how your behavior reflects your love of God. Ignore the business of “have I broken a rule?” Concentrate rather on loving God. See in your life choices the love of God demonstrated in your treatment of those around you. Think more of the other and you will go far toward conquering scrupulosity.
Another thing you might consider is that in your zeal to always please God, it is extremely unlikely that you could ever give full consent of your will to any evil-doing. Nothing you do is likely to be a mortal sin under these circumstances.

Matthew
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I agree with this. If we set our minds on “What does God think of me while I do this”, then realize that he is here, in the room with us, can we still go through with it?

Remember, God is there!
 
Scrupulosity can also be a form of obsessive-compulsive behavior. It could have a physical cause such as a chemical imbalance in your brain.
The best way to deal with these compulsive thoughts about sin is to stop thinking them. (I know, it’s easier said than done.) The more you dwell on your sins, the worse your scruples become. Trust that Jesus wants you to be saved. When you start obsessing about some sin you think you may have committed, say a prayer like this: “Lord, if I am in the state of grace, preserve me in it. If I am in the state of sin, rescue me from it.” Then leave it up to the Lord. And pray to St. Therese the Little Flower for help. She suffered a bout of scrupulosity herself once. God bless you.
 
thanks for the information guys. i think my real problem is this: i can come up with perfect explanations of why im not in sin. see, i know that its all ok, because when i judge my sin, i know that im telling the truth and that god knows the truth-so im fine. well, see, the thing is that while i may see it that way, a peroson who is deeply into their catholicism may see it differently. i think thats why.
 
coleraine said:
thanks for the information guys. i think my real problem is this: i can come up with perfect explanations of why im not in sin. see, i know that its all ok, because when i judge my sin, i know that im telling the truth and that god knows the truth-so im fine. well, see, the thing is that while i may see it that way, a peroson who is deeply into their catholicism may see it differently. i think thats why.
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What do you mean by that???
 
LilyM said:
What do you mean by that???
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i mean that i understand why im not in sin, but then theres what everyone else has to say about it. like i said, i cant talk to my preist alot, so i cant get answeres from him to often. i actually think its what you guys mentioned earlier. i understand, i know that god understands, but i stil think that some set rule may hav been broken, and it scares me. ok, that was silly. all that just to find out that what one of the first posts said was absolutley true. oh well. oh but yah, i guess thats the problem i need help with now.
 
coleraine said:
i mean that i understand why im not in sin, but then theres what everyone else has to say about it. like i said, i cant talk to my preist alot, so i cant get answeres from him to often. i actually think its what you guys mentioned earlier. i understand, i know that god understands, but i stil think that some set rule may hav been broken, and it scares me. ok, that was silly. all that just to find out that what one of the first posts said was absolutley true. oh well. oh but yah, i guess thats the problem i need help with now.
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You’re still no clearer in what you’re saying, you know.

Bottom line - you know what the requirements are for mortal sin. There may be instances of grave matter that you’re unaware of, but I’m sure you’re diligent in studying your faith, so it’s not your fault if you are unaware of some things.

You alone, and your priest, can rightly judge whether you’ve met those requirements for mortal sin or not. The opinion of others on this board doesn’t make something a mortal sin or otherwise. And the people here aren’t experts or anything, simply loudmouths with opinions, like myself 🙂
 
coleraine said:
hi. i think im dealing with scruples. i know deep down that im fine. i just cant stop over-anylizing things. its like im obsessed with it. my priest told me that many a time scruples are actually satan trying to make you feel bad about yourself. im not sure what to do. any advice?
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I struggle with scupulosity also, and this site has been a lifeline for me at times:
mission.liguori.org/newsletters/archives.htm#SA

I also highly recommend the book by Fr. Thomas Santa, Understanding Scrupulosity. Absolutely wonderful book.
 
Hi!

Scrupulosity can be a component of anxiety and OCD. Here are some resources which have been a great help to me. Some of these resources have already been mentioned by other CAF forum members.

The book “Understanding Scrupulosity” by Fr. Thomas M. Santa amazon.com/Understanding-…2913224&sr=8-1

A free newsletter by Liguori called “Scrupulous Anonymous” You can have this newsletter mailed to your home or you can read it online mission.liguori.org/newsletters/scrupanon.htm

If you go to the Ligouri website and type in “Why Am I Scrupulous?” you will find a nice, helpful little booklet liguori.org/searchproducts.cfm

I highly recommend the book, “Helps for the Scrupulous” written by Fr. Russell M. Abata. This is another excellent resource on scrupulosity. I found a used copy at Alibris as the book is currently not available new.

I hope this helps…

Therese
 
Here’s a good one for all the scrupulous out there in forum-land:
Jesus went up to Jerusalem with his parents when he was twelve years old. Instead of collecting his little 12 year old butt and getting back to the caravan, he stayed at the temple schmoosing with the rabbis. It was more fun than being where he was supposed to be. But what he did was not a sin, since Jesus, as God, is incapable of sin.
That didn’t stop his folks from reading him the riot act when they came back to get him.
Scripture records what his mom said at that point, but I suspect the omission of Joseph’s words was completely intentional. The garden of Gethsemane may have been easier for Jesus than the trip back to Nazareth.

Matthew
 
Like all people, I sin. Unlike all people, the last couple of years I have become obsessed or at least anxiety ridden in relation to occupying my mind with sinfulness…have I sinned, did I sin, will I sin, was it a sin, maybe it was a sin etc…

Confession started becoming increasingly painful…daily confessions, sometimes going into a confessional 3 times a day…it was not healthy and not what I wanted to be doing.

I was driven by the anxiety to go to confession, where my relief would be very very short lived…sometimes in the minutes…before my mind would construct another dilemma around sin.

My solution - I finally went to my family doctor and told him what was going on. I am now on medication and I have gone from going to confession 7 or 8 times a week…to 2 or 3 times a month.

For me, the medication has been incredibly beneficial. I still do not know if I suffer from a type of OCD, anxiety or depression…but I am getting better.

I hope this is helpful to someone who can relate to what I was going through…also, I have to pretty much avoid Christian Forums…as there are so many strong opinions, that they would only increase my anxiety and scruples.
 
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