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Holly3278
Guest
Hi everyone. Can doubt ever be a grave sin? 
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johnco
Guest
hi holly,
you may just refering to difficulties, 100 difficulties don’t make one doubt. do you doubt the existence of God? do you doubt the real presence in the blessed sacrament. or are you sometimes just perplexed by difficulties? doubts may be grave sin, difficulties, never.
God bless,
johnco
you may just refering to difficulties, 100 difficulties don’t make one doubt. do you doubt the existence of God? do you doubt the real presence in the blessed sacrament. or are you sometimes just perplexed by difficulties? doubts may be grave sin, difficulties, never.
God bless,
johnco
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Joe_5859
Guest
Yes, doubt can consist of grave matter. It is a sin against the first commandment (see CCC 2088).Hi everyone. Can doubt ever be a grave sin?
However, popularly speaking, many people use the word “doubt” in ways that do not fit this definition.
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Holly3278
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Oh okay. Thanks everyone! 
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bengal_fan
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doubt leads to questioning. questioning leads to truth.
-peter abelard
-peter abelard
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thistle
Guest
CCC 2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. "Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him."
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wjp984
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Everyone has doubt and I would argue doubt is one reason that makes us sin. For example, there is a certain sin where if I had absolute proof of God’s existence there is absolutely no way I could do that sin anymore willingly as I would see how much if offends God and perhaps hurting my soul. However, since we don’t have that proof it makes it a lot easier to sin.
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homeloan
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It appears “Involuntary Doubt” is OK. Not so for “Voluntary Doubt”. It gets worse, it seems with "Incredulity, downright nasty with “Heresy” left unchecked becomes “Obstinate Doubt” (muy malo) and “Apostasy” is like sleeping with the Devil and “Schism” is like Henry the VIII’th.
For me, I’m definitely not “Schism”, pretty sure I’m not “Obstinate Doubt (Heresy)”, maybe not too far off from “Incredulity”, so I’m probably “Voluntary Doubt” and definitely “Involuntary Doubt”.
However, my doubt is more of a question than a real doubt. I believe in the Creed but I want to know why God created such a violent world when it would seem He didn’t have to.
After all, He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent & omnificent. In other words,
He has unlimited power,
Infinite awareness,
Complete, universal knowledge,
Exists at all places at all times,
He has unlimited creative power.
Given those attributes of the Almighty, there seems to be a redundancy with Him giving us “free will”. Because He has complete, universal knowledge & infinite awareness, therefore He knows beforehand who will obey and who won’t.
So why would He subject us to all this misery only to see the majority of us condemned to the Netherworld for all of eternity just for the brief flicker of time that we would have spent here on Planet Earth disobeying, which He knew we would all along?
So, is a question the same as a doubt? I don’t think so, but “Cathologists”, well-versed in “Cathology” may disagree. I don’t see the harm in asking tough, probing questions. After all, God gave us brains…
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Holly3278
Guest
It seems that maybe you’re going through a rough time with doubt. Please take some time to talk to your priest. Perhaps he can help you with your doubts. Also, I will pray that your doubts would be eased.
May God bless you,
Holly
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homeloan
Guest
Thanks for your suggestion and prayer. I don’t feel I’m going through rough times, especially here in the midst of Holy Week. I think these types of questiions are circumstancial to everyone, especially to Christian’s, maybe even more especially to RC’s.It seems that maybe you’re going through a rough time with doubt. Please take some time to talk to your priest. Perhaps he can help you with your doubts. Also, I will pray that your doubts would be eased.
May God bless you,
Holly
Due to the shortage of priests and the overwhelming workload they must manage, the last thing they need is dealing with a “whiney” parishioner about abstract issues in the context of belief and faith. That’s why I’m posting anonymously on a religious bulletin board, especially one that is a repository of Roman Catholicism.
I would hope that these types of questions don’t cause others to doubt their Faith, but if that’s the effect, then perhaps one’s Faith needs to be better grounded. Because these questions & doubts are part of the Great Mystery of Faith.
You only solve a “Mystery” by examining it; buy challenging it; by letting the light of day shine upon it.
It was only a short time ago that Mother Teresa’s doubts and questions were made public, so we see fullwell that someone of her stature had deep questions and doubts about her Faith even as she performed her Godly work among some of the world’s most needy souls.
That’s why I don’t feel I’m going through rough times. And, I don’t feel that sweeping these hard, challenging, complex, difficult questions under a rug is the legitimate way to confront doubt.
Peace to you, Holly! May this Holy Week bring you joy and comfort.
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dz102789
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Involuntary doubt is fine, we all have trials of faith and questions we need answered. Denial is grave sin.
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catharina
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I disagree that the only way to “solve a “Mystery” (is) by examining it; buy challenging it; by letting the light of day shine upon it.” Certain Divine mysteries are quite simply beyond our understanding. For example, recall the legend re St. Augustine and his attempt to grasp the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity. As he walked a beach, pondering (moaning, groaning, whining?) about the nature of God, legend says he was approached by a little boy who engaged him in talk about his thinking. When Augustine explained his current “searching,” the child responded that it would be much easier for Augustine to count every grain of sand on the beach than it would be for him to comprehend the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity.
Why anyone would encourage doubt as an “exercise” for personal growth is beyond me.
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Joe_5859
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That’s what they’re there for! Don’t feel bad about being too “whiny”. One of the primary responsibilities of priests is to be our pastors. Far better for them to take the time to talk with a “whiny” parishioner than to spend time on business matters. That’s what they have parish councils for!
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homeloan
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Mysteries are being solved everyday. Divine mysteries are still mysteries. After all, if we’re to believe that God has left his fingerprints to reveal these mysteries (Holy Scripture, Tradition, etc.), then these clues should not be restricted from study.
Nice story, but is it myth or historical reality? If reality, probably most parents, grandparents and teachers have heard their young children and pupils utter profound statements & exclamations from time to time. But if you focus on the words of the child St Augustine reportedly encountered, what did he actually say, other than, “you can’t understand it”.
Recall that during St Augustine’s time the world was believed to be flat and the universe revolved around planet earth. Much torture, mayhem and murder occurred later in history (Inquisition) when people challenged this “belief” held by the Church. Later, obviously, the Church acknowledged that God’s creation (earth, universe, etc.) was much more vast than originally thought.
If doubt was circumscribed, who knows how much longer the cruelty would have been perpetrated by otherwise religious men, in the name of Faith, as they mistakenly tried to protect the Church from what was later discovered to have been an invalid belief.
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Holly3278
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Interesting thread. Thanks for your posts everybody. 
Thanks for your posts everybody.
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homeloan
Guest
Ah, Joe, these profound questions are better dealt with where there are great resources, available to lots of people, all holding certain beliefs and ideals, with lots of time to contemplate and consider.That’s what they’re there for! Don’t feel bad about being too “whiny”. One of the primary responsibilities of priests is to be our pastors. Far better for them to take the time to talk with a “whiny” parishioner than to spend time on business matters. That’s what they have parish councils for!
Otherwise, think of the pressure of a parish priest discussing and debating deep theological issues with one parishioner while others need absolution on their deathbeds, or encouragement as they are being evicted from their homes because of foreclosure, or needing consolation after being informed that their son or daughter has just been jailed, or encouraging aged parishioners in nursing homes,…, no, this is the perfect place to anonymously discuss these complexities.
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Holly3278
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Yep, this is the perfect place to discuss such things and that is why I frequent these forums.
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catharina
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Story of child and St. Augustine? Myth or reality? Why would I care? It exists as a parable.
It’s 100% evident that certain Divine mysteries are beyond the grasp of human understanding. (The Blessed Trinity, Transubstantiation, etc…) If you want to spend your time tilting at such windmills, then very few people will attempt to caution against it (meaning: your mind is made up re the vastness of your mental capacity.)
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homeloan
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Perhaps you don’t. I do.
Certain mysteries, probably considered as Divine that existed up until the 15th Century, had to be revised…
Yep, it’s just like Talk Radio or Television; you can listen or watch if you choose. Or you can tune it out. Free-will in this concept, as opposed to the Garden of Eden version (Fall of Man), I don’t consider redundant.
Obviously, you don’t know me if you describe my mental capacity as vast. I can produce witnesses who can attest otherwise.
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Joe_5859
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I see your point. I would just add that, if something is really bugging you and you can’t seem to find a good answer, you shouldn’t hesitate to bring it up with your priest. At the very least, the priest can be part of this ongoing conversation on all theological issues, both glorious and mundane!
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