Scrupulosity and the Problem of Evil

[Ana_v]

Does anyone here, who suffers from scrupulosity, also struggle with the problem of evil? By struggle, I refer to an acute sorrow for the evil which exists in the world, such that it together with the scrupulosity, seems to rob you of having joy in life?

I ask because I wonder whether there’s a relationship or correlation between scruples and feeling overburdened with the problem of evil.

I have shared in other posts that I my temperament is melancholic, so perhaps that is where the link lies.

 

[fred_conty]

If you are feeling a little morose, it may well be that CAF may contribute to that feeling as well. Subjects on this site or rather heavy and sad. Many controversies and disagreements. Hell, devil, sin, commandments, contrition, suffering, and so on may seem to have a pounding effect on one’s spirits. It may be they you would benefit from more good reading material and less from CAF. Or you may want to select the threads that only will be more helpful to you. I remember one member of CAF who said he had to leave on the advice of his spiritual director. Something to consider.

Here is an article about scrupulosity and how to treat it.

May the God of hope fill you with every joy.

mission.liguori.org/newsletters/pdf_archive/Ten_Commandments_for_the_Scrupulous_2013.pdf

Without exception, you shall not confess sins you have already confessed.

You shall confess only sins that are clear and certain.

You shall not repeat your penance or any of the words of your penance after confession—for any reason.

You shall not worry about breaking your pre-Communion fast unless you put food and drink in your mouth and swallow as a meal.

You shall not worry about powerful and vivid thoughts, desires, and imaginings involving sex and religion unless you deliberately generate them for the purpose of offending God.

You shall not worry about powerful and intense feelings, including sexual feelings or emotional outbursts, unless you deliberately generate them to offend God.

You shall obey your confessor when he tells you never to repeat a general confession of sins already confessed to him or another confessor.

When you doubt your obligation to do or not do something, you will see your doubt as proof that there is no obligation.

When you are doubtful, you shall assume that the act of commission or omission you’re in doubt about is not sinful, and you shall proceed without dread of sin.

You shall put your total trust in Jesus Christ, knowing he loves you as only God can and that he will never allow you to lose your soul.

 

[Melancholic]

Hi! I’m a mildly scrupulous person and melancholic (obviously), and I also suffer from anxiety. When I was younger I was much more overwhelmed by problems large and small, and the thing that unsettled me the most was thinking about death. What has helped me was training myself to live more in the present and try not to spend much time speculating all the different scenarios that can happen in the future or what horrible things are happening somewhere else in the world right now. Speculation = anxiety for me, and it’s really pointless to work myself up over my own imagination. It has also helped me to “let time pass” – if I am overwhelmed by any negative thought or feeling, I try to accept the emotion/let it wash over me and after a few minutes it fades away. And the last thing is to try to find humor in all aspects of life (or make humor), this really adds joy and diminishes pessimism.

 

[OneSheep]

Does anyone here, who suffers from scrupulosity, also struggle with the problem of evil? By struggle, I refer to an acute sorrow for the evil which exists in the world, such that it together with the scrupulosity, seems to rob you of having joy in life?

I ask because I wonder whether there’s a relationship or correlation between scruples and feeling overburdened with the problem of evil.

I have shared in other posts that I my temperament is melancholic, so perhaps that is where the link lies.

Hi Ana,

It sounds like you are feeling a bit depressed about all of the evil that happens in the world, and I think we share in this sadness, whether or not we suffer scrupulosity.

What does help me is to work for positive change in the world, and I don’t spend much time listening to all of the negativity, and I never watch the news on TV. I keep up on issues about once a week, otherwise it is rather a waste of my time and happiness!

I did have a bit of a “private revelation” in my own spiritual growth. Many years ago, after a good deal of journaling, reading, and prayer, I sort of “woke up” and realized that the world is getting to be better, not worse. People learn from their mistakes. Yes, things often seem to be getting worse, but when people suffer the “worse”, they get sick of it and make a change. Even what is happening in the Middle East today can be seen in this light. People suffered corruption and oppression, and now they are acting (overreacting) to make a change. When people have suffered enough from the overreaction, they will make a change.

Scrupulosity, in itself, is a suffering. The remedy for scrupulosity is to “forgive our shadow”, to forgive the parts of ourselves and our past sins in a deeper way. So, maybe there is a bit of a “connection” sometimes. If we are feeling hopeless about our own salvation, then we will be reminded of other issues we feel hopeless about.

So I think you are onto something there!

God Bless your weekend.

 

[DlandFan06]

If you are feeling a little morose, it may well be that CAF may contribute to that feeling as well. Subjects on this site or rather heavy and sad. Many controversies and disagreements. Hell, devil, sin, commandments, contrition, suffering, and so on may seem to have a pounding effect on one’s spirits. It may be they you would benefit from more good reading material and less from CAF. Or you may want to select the threads that only will be more helpful to you. I remember one member of CAF who said he had to leave on the advice of his spiritual director. Something to consider.

Here is an article about scrupulosity and how to treat it.

May the God of hope fill you with every joy.

mission.liguori.org/newsletters/pdf_archive/Ten_Commandments_for_the_Scrupulous_2013.pdf

Without exception, you shall not confess sins you have already confessed.

You shall confess only sins that are clear and certain.

You shall not repeat your penance or any of the words of your penance after confession—for any reason.

You shall not worry about breaking your pre-Communion fast unless you put food and drink in your mouth and swallow as a meal.

You shall not worry about powerful and vivid thoughts, desires, and imaginings involving sex and religion unless you deliberately generate them for the purpose of offending God.

You shall not worry about powerful and intense feelings, including sexual feelings or emotional outbursts, unless you deliberately generate them to offend God.

You shall obey your confessor when he tells you never to repeat a general confession of sins already confessed to him or another confessor.

When you doubt your obligation to do or not do something, you will see your doubt as proof that there is no obligation.

When you are doubtful, you shall assume that the act of commission or omission you’re in doubt about is not sinful, and you shall proceed without dread of sin.

You shall put your total trust in Jesus Christ, knowing he loves you as only God can and that he will never allow you to lose your soul.

This is pretty useful actually. Even though I’m not scrupulous myself.

 

[fred_conty]

This is pretty useful actually. Even though I’m not scrupulous myself.

Yes, I would agree that there are several things that many could benefit from.

May the God of peace keep you one with him.