Benefit of the doubt?

[Stylus]

This USED to help me. I thought that if you are not competely certain that you are in mortal sin then that means you’re not. I don’t seem to be so convinced with that belief anymore. There are often times when I think in my mind…‘Did I commit a mortal sin? No…I didn’t really want to…right? I felt like I was at the time…I think.’ I hate not knowing and I think that if you commit a motal sin you would KNOW.

 

[Trelow]

When in doubt confess it. Better safe than firewood.

 

[Della]

Stylus:

This USED to help me. I thought that if you are not competely certain that you are in mortal sin then that means you’re not. I don’t seem to be so convinced with that belief anymore. There are often times when I think in my mind…‘Did I commit a mortal sin? No…I didn’t really want to…right? I felt like I was at the time…I think.’ I hate not knowing and I think that if you commit a motal sin you would KNOW.

Get thee to a priest! Don’t hesitate because of fear or laziness or anything else so that your confessor can sort out if you have commited mortal sin or not.

 

[Pug]

Stylus:

There are often times when I think in my mind…‘Did I commit a mortal sin? No…I didn’t really want to…right? I felt like I was at the time…I think.’

First, we are talking about grave (serious) matter, right? Remember, carefully form your conscience in the light of what is grave and what is venial.

Okay, so I assume your issue is that it is grave matter, but you no longer are convinced that you did it without full consent of the will? If we are talking one particular sin, that you have fallen into before, repeatedly, then you must give some thought to your life. What are you doing in your life? Where are you going? Whether it is mortal or venial, you probably need the advice of a spiritual adviser. So I’d go get advice from a real priest, in the context of the healing of Reconciliation.

Don’t fall into the pride of thinking **you **couldn’t have done a mortal sin. I’m not sure if that applies here, though. Just go confess it without making a song and dance that you are so beneath yourself or anything. Confess it, let it go.

Just the 2cents that comes to my head.

 

[jegow]

Stylus:

This USED to help me. I thought that if you are not competely certain that you are in mortal sin then that means you’re not. I don’t seem to be so convinced with that belief anymore. There are often times when I think in my mind…‘Did I commit a mortal sin? No…I didn’t really want to…right? I felt like I was at the time…I think.’ I hate not knowing and I think that if you commit a motal sin you would KNOW.

Stylus, thank God first of all that you are not convinced anymore of your doubt of sinning or not. The first thing is, never let doubt enter the picture. It can be so dangerous to think that a certain act was not really a sin through doubt. If anyone allows that to happen, they could write off that sin as something ok to do. Secondly, go to confession regularly and make regular examinations of your conscience, the latter will especially help you to overcome the doubting. Thirdly, you will know if it is a mortal sin - that’s a part of it is it not. To have full knowledge, grave matter, and deliberate consent. Once you have full knowledge your ignorance is gone (and you never get ignorance back), and from that point on whenever you give deliberate consent to the thing of grave matter that you have full knowledge of - you commit mortal sin. A lot of times I think we try and convince ourselves that we didn’t know any better or that we never found out the truth that such and such was a mortal sin - but in our hearts we know that we knew all along if indeed we had been freed of our ignorance to that subject matter. Fourthly, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! Never doubt the power of prayer. Pray for help in this matter, trust me. Anyways, I hope these help.

 

[johnnycatholic]

It sounds to me as though you may have scrupulosity. I would advise you to ask your priest about scrupulosity. If you do have it, it can only be overcome by strict obedience to your spritual advisor and prayer.

God give you peace!

 

[rwoehmke]

johnnycatholic:

It sounds to me as though you may have scrupulosity. I would advise you to ask your priest about scrupulosity. If you do have it, it can only be overcome by strict obedience to your spritual advisor and prayer. God give you peace!

Been there and done that. Johnny has given you the only advice that pulled me out of the pit of dispair. A priest who can work with one on scrupulosity is a God sent gift for those of us who suffer from this problem. Satan just loves to lead people into dispair because eventually the pain becomes so great that one gives up on the sacraments. You are in my prayers.

 

[banjo]

Stylus:

This USED to help me. I thought that if you are not competely certain that you are in mortal sin then that means you’re not. I don’t seem to be so convinced with that belief anymore. There are often times when I think in my mind…‘Did I commit a mortal sin? No…I didn’t really want to…right? I felt like I was at the time…I think.’ I hate not knowing and I think that if you commit a motal sin you would KNOW.

If you are scrupulous johnnycatholic and rwoehmke are giving you good advice. You might also consider the following; Understanding Scrupulosity Fr. Thomas M. Santa (available from Catholic Answers) and a free publication, the SA Bulletin available from Liguori Publications, Liguori, MO 63057. Keep the faith!