Does anyone else think that many Catholics are too preoccupied with thinking what could be a sin or not?

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John 8:11

Neither do I condemn you (compassion), go and sin no more (conversion).

Compassion for this life, conversion for the next. Both are done out of love. Jesus gave us the Spiritual Works of Mercy as well as the Corporal.
 
Of course it’s a balance. Jesus gave us the model in John 8:11…

But what I see more of is the liberal tendency to explain away sin. No longer tax collectors they promote themselves to tax accountants looking for ways to say sin is not a sin. Loophole Catholics. 😄
 
Growing up, I would notice when something was going on or about to happen that I knew was wrong. I avoided doing wrong because I had a pretty clear idea of right and wrong. Today, I rarely see those words. And as I got older, I saw people falling into traps, thinking doing the wrong thing might be good for them. It was often presented as easy. I remember some people telling us, “All you Catholics do is listen to the Pope. Why don’t you think for yourselves?” Translation: Why don’t you live like we live? Why don’t you have sex with loose women? Why don’t you smoke and drink or use illegal drugs?

For the sake of God: “If you love me keep my commandments.”
 
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Listen - at the 2:36 mark -
The book speaks briefly of martyrs -
To me - that’s suffering !
 
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SacredHeartBassist said:
I mean I get it. I used to be at that point in my faith where it seemed like if I thought too much about eating on thanksgiving I committed the sin of gluttony. Why are so many Catholics so scrupulous and what can be done to stop this scrupulousity? It’s unhealthy spiritually and it stifles growth.
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Sin is something that moves you further away from God.

Perhaps it is just as important to think about what takes you closer to God.
 
Boards like this attract scrupulants but I’m getting a little tired of people complaining about them and having a condescending attitude about their posts. Everyone has their crosses to carry and need some support.

Scrupulants benefit from support groups and having a spiritual director. Guidance on forming a correct conscience helps to overcome or reduces this affliction.
 
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You see that in the general population or on this board? I see way more scrupulous types than lax ones around here.
 
That’s not what I’m talking about. Of course we shouldn’t be living that way. But beating yourself over the head because you noticed a girl in a bikini is a bit much
 
An appropriate sense of guilt is healthy. It leads to good Confessions. Custody of the eyes puts up a barrier between appropriate and inappropriate thoughts and behavior
 
What I’m referring to is an inordinate amount of guilt
 
True, this can be an issue yes but I feel its because when trying to balance the guilt of sin and ones lax behaviour to it people would rather veer slightly towards the guilt than to have a slightly lax mindset. An inordinate guilt of sin is the result of one’s rightly ordered conscience which can at times lead us into despair if we fail to live up to the virtues of natural law. What therefore is needed is for us to love ourselves even when we fall as God loves us so that our despair and guilt lasts only a moment that aids in a greater victory for us. This takes great practice and reflection to attain. Society likes to stereotype “Catholic guilt” but that is because they have ordered their conscience around their own worldviews which changes every day on a whim depending on how they feel.
 
Find a good priest. Talk to him about it. Priests are given the power over sin. An Internet message board is probably the worst place to ask the question. There are too many self-appointed amatuer theologians here. Too many zealots.
 
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