Being Scrupulous or Committing Mortal Sin?

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I have a big problem with trying to figure out whether I’m just being scrupulous or if I really am committing a mortal sin due to putting myself in occasions of sin. I watched Inception last night and there was a part when Joseph Gordon Levitt and Ellen Page were about to kiss, and I thought that maybe this would cause me to be aroused because that has been really easy for me these days but I continued to watch just to see the movie, not to get aroused. Afterwards, I wasn’t sure if I had committed a mortal sin by putting myself into an occasion of sin. Also my private areas can really itch sometimes and I think maybe if I scratch it I might get aroused but I scratch anyway because it itches not to get aroused. Is that also putting myself into an occasion of sin?

I’ve also had a couple times in Mass when I will occasionally drift off and think about something else or struggle with falling asleep. I wasn’t paying attention once when the priest blessed the Eucharist, too. Does doing this cause me to not fulfill the Sunday Mass requirement?

Last thing, in the past I have had times when I wasn’t as specific as I should be in confession because I was embarrassed. I’ve realized since that this could invalidate my confession and I went to confession afterwards saying that I had done that before. Should I have also repeated my sins from the past confessions? Because I don’t think I can remember them. And does not fully paying attention when the priest gives absolution invalidate my confession?

Thank you for all the help.
 
Scruples is a mental illness - a form of OCD that is obsessed with religious guilt. Its not my place to figure out if you have a mental illness 🙂

I think at the very least your worrying too much about sin. Nothing you said sounds like a mortal sin. If not paying attention at mass invalidated one’s participation, probably half the congregation wouldn’t qualify!

Also, confession is generally presumed to be valid. If the Priest thinks your being too vague about a sin, he will gently ask questions to nudge out what he needs to hear. Paying attention to the words of absolution or not have no effect on its validity either. The priest says “…I absolve you of your sins…” and your sins are absolved. That is it. Done. Absolved!

If this guilt and worry your are having is really bothering you, and is preventing you from functioning, then it might be time to see your priest and/or a doctor to talk about the possibility of scrupulosity. Otherwise… “Don’t beat yourself up!”.
 
user3 said:
I have a big problem with trying to figure out whether I’m just being scrupulous or if I really am committing a mortal sin due to putting myself in occasions of sin. I watched Inception last night and there was a part when Joseph Gordon Levitt and Ellen Page were about to kiss, and I thought that maybe this would cause me to be aroused because that has been really easy for me these days but I continued to watch just to see the movie, not to get aroused. Afterwards, I wasn’t sure if I had committed a mortal sin by putting myself into an occasion of sin. Also my private areas can really itch sometimes and I think maybe if I scratch it I might get aroused but I scratch anyway because it itches not to get aroused. Is that also putting myself into an occasion of sin?

I’ve also had a couple times in Mass when I will occasionally drift off and think about something else or struggle with falling asleep. I wasn’t paying attention once when the priest blessed the Eucharist, too. Does doing this cause me to not fulfill the Sunday Mass requirement?

Last thing, in the past I have had times when I wasn’t as specific as I should be in confession because I was embarrassed. I’ve realized since that this could invalidate my confession and I went to confession afterwards saying that I had done that before. Should I have also repeated my sins from the past confessions? Because I don’t think I can remember them. And does not fully paying attention when the priest gives absolution invalidate my confession?

Thank you for all the help.
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Seems like scrupulosity is the issue.
 
runningdude said:
Scruples is a mental illness - a form of OCD that is obsessed with religious guilt. Its not my place to figure out if you have a mental illness 🙂
.
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No, this is a common misconception. Scruples can be and *often * are associated with OCD - but it is not necessary to have OCD in order to be scrupulous. Scrupulous people probably will have some kind of issues with anxiety or emotional sensitivity, however. It is my impression that those with OCD generally have the most severe scruples, while others may have milder cases.

In any case, I read somewhere - I think it was in the book “Understanding Scrupulosity” - that because scruples have a lot to do with doubting, it makes sense that scrupulous people would also doubt that they are scrupulous and go back and forth about it, and that it is common (in the experience of the priest who wrote the book) for scrupulous people to do this.

It does sound to me like the OP is being scrupulous.
 
I don’t know whether you’re scrupulous or not, perhaps so, perhaps just wondering and especially sensitive, but for all people it is a good thing to give up TV in general, entirely because of the contents.

Immodest dress, incitement to various sins and justification thereof, constant using the Lord’s name in vain, sinning against the commandments… all of it very offensive to God…

And so many people turning it on with foreknowledge it is inevitably going to have that happen often, in other words, participating in the sins. Causing it to be seen and heard and a part of their lives and homes, and recommending it without reserve to others. 😦

It is very beneficial to the spiritual life to give up TV, the vessels must be emptied of useless and sinful things before than can be filled with the grace of God. 😃 Give it a try I say!
 
Student09 said:
No, this is a common misconception. Scruples can be and *often * are associated with OCD - but it is not necessary to have OCD in order to be scrupulous. Scrupulous people probably will have some kind of issues with anxiety or emotional sensitivity, however. It is my impression that those with OCD generally have the most severe scruples, while others may have milder cases.

In any case, I read somewhere - I think it was in the book “Understanding Scrupulosity” - that because scruples have a lot to do with doubting, it makes sense that scrupulous people would also doubt that they are scrupulous and go back and forth about it, and that it is common (in the experience of the priest who wrote the book) for scrupulous people to do this.

It does sound to me like the OP is being scrupulous.
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Ah, ok, I’ve read such mixed messages about what exactly scrupals is 🙂
 
So is it only a mortal sin when you’re putting yourself in an occasion of sin for the purpose of being aroused? Or is it a mortal sin just to put yourself into an occasion of sin even if you don’t want to become aroused? Because I listened to a recording of a priest where he said “no intention no consent = no sin, no intention some consent = venial sin, no intention full consent = mortal sin, intention = mortal sin” and I don’t really understand what this means. How are intention and consent different?
 
user3 said:
I listened to a recording of a priest where he said “no intention no consent = no sin, no intention some consent = venial sin, no intention full consent = mortal sin, intention = mortal sin” and I don’t really understand what this means. How are intention and consent different?
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Starting with the last:

If you put yourself in an occasion of sin (watching a movie, going to a party, whatever) with the intention of committing a sin that is grave matter, then it is a mortal sin. (for instance, you go to a party intending to sleep with someone even though you know it’s wrong.)

If you do something without the intention of committing a sin, but then you end up committing a sin and giving full consent, then that is also a mortal sin. (For instance, you go to a party thinking you’ll just chat with a few people, but then you end up sleeping with someone even though you know it’s wrong.)

If you do something without the intention of committing a sin, but you end up giving partial consent to a sin, then the partial consent is venial. (So you go to a party and some lustful thoughts come into your mind; you dismiss them, but there is some enjoyment of them also.)

If you do something without the intention of committing a sin, and you give no consent to sin, then it is not a sin. (For instance, you go to a party to be with friends, maybe some lustful thoughts pop into your mind but you dismiss them immediately and with revulsion, without any enjoyment.)

This is helpful with regard to determining when one has actually consented to a temptation: ccel.org/ccel/desales/devout_life.vi.iii.html

Finally, aside from the basic moral distinctions, Shin makes a good point. We should really be aiming towards sanctification and what is beneficial for our souls. This is a different matter than a kind of frightened, scrupulous approach to the spiritual life. There is no point for a Christian in watching trash and if we really love God then we will be pained by things that are offensive to the Lord and won’t want to watch or read them. I think a case can be made for occasionally watching things like “Brideshead Revisited” that may involve adultery or the like but that are written from a faith perspective (Evelyn Waugh was a Catholic convert) and about faith; but even with that, I walked out when I could tell they were going to have an intimate scene. There was simply no good reason for me to watch it (or for them to put it in there :rolleyes:).

We should be looking towards what will further our sanctification and bring us closer to God. 🙂
 
Thank you so much. That really cleared up a lot for me, and I think I have just been being scrupulous. However, I think I’ll still talk to a priest about it just in case.
 
violet81 said:
Dang.

If all those are mortal sins then I am doomed.
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You are not doomed if you are sincere about leaving the way of sin, being sorry for the sins committed, fighting heroically temptation! Passivity is a sign of those who are already conquered by the enemy! A good confession of the whole life is sufficient if you are truly sorry. And if you remember sins you didn’t confess first time just mention it in the next confession!
 
Logic101 said:
Here is the best book on the subject. It cleared up lot of things for me.
columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/chastity.html
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That really cleared up a lot. Thank you for sharing it. This section from the book: “Normal recreation is sufficient to justify things which are only slightly stimulating (as some people may notice regarding dancing, slightly suggestive motion pictures, generally decent picture magazines, and so forth). Hypersensitive people, that is, those who are bothered by things which do not disturb others and greatly bothered by things which only slightly disturb others, may live as others do in this matter, so long an their intention is good. Sometimes it is better for them to live as others do; sometimes the more advisable course is to lead a more careful life. They need sound personal direction.” I think pertains to me.
 
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