Scrupulosity help

[McatholicN]

I just read the “10 Commandments for the Scrupulous” and one of them says that you may not confess sins that you are doubtful of whether they were mortal sins.

I consider myself scrupulous and was wondering if I could receive Communion tomorrow since I have “doubtful sins”. But what if they really are mortal sins?

 

[Edward_H]

Ask a priest before Mass. God wants us to be serene and to live our spiritual childhood.

 

[Bookcat]

I just read the “10 Commandments for the Scrupulous” and one of them says that you may not confess sins that you are doubtful of whether they were mortal sins.

I consider myself scrupulous and was wondering if I could receive Communion tomorrow since I have “doubtful mortal sins”. But what if they really are mortal sins?

of course that does not mean that one may not confess them…but one does of course need to say they are doubtful…and if they are doubtful that they are sinful at all…one needs to add other sins that are not doubtful…(but talk with your confessor…for if one keeps wanting to confess doubtful things…it can make a person’s scruples worse…so he may have you not confess such directly …or at least cut it down etc…but that is something to work out with him…and of course he can help you determine to what degree you may or may not have scruples…etc )

…

Now…I do not know you…and I do not want to ask what the sins are…(this is NOT confession!..so no need to say…and I am going to bed soon anyhow…) …but…now if you are doubtful that you gave full consent to …say murdering someone…or committing adultery…or robbing a bank…or watching pornography etc…when you actually physically did these things or other things like them…then i would prob suggest one go ahead and see a priest soon…even if one is scrupulous…

but other sorts of things…well can just be a scruple…

anyhow…

A person with this difficulty really needs to have a regular confessor…if you do not have one…seek one out

As for “doubtful sins” …remember in order to have a mortal sin one needs…grave matter, full knowledge and complete consent…

also remember also…that one is not to receive Holy Communion when one is “conscious” of mortal sin…

it does not say if one “doubts” one committed a mortal sin…do not go to communion…

If you have examined yourself…and you are doubtful that you committed a mortal sin…that would mean by definition…that you are not “conscious” of committing a mortal sin…

I can not judge for you…but certainly do not scruple about anything

(of course if you murdered or something else like the above list …in which case I would still want to see a priest right quick like…)

And of course you can also quickly see a priest before Mass…but get a R. confessor )

 

[baltobetsy]

The most important piece of advice that the scrupulous receive is to place themselves under obedience to one and only one confessor - one who understands and is confident dealing with scruples. If you do that, you and the priest will be able to develop your own personalized Commandments, or you will know that you can safely adopt the “Ten Commandments for the Scrupulous.”

Of course, that won’t help you for Communion this week, so I would go with Edward’s advice. But as soon as you can, find yourself a priest and talk over the “Commandments” to see how to apply them in your own life. There’s so much peace in obedience!

Betsy

 

[Apollos]

I just read the “10 Commandments for the Scrupulous” and one of them says that you may not confess sins that you are doubtful of whether they were mortal sins.

I consider myself scrupulous and was wondering if I could receive Communion tomorrow since I have “doubtful sins”. But what if they really are mortal sins?

Man up. Apply the rules. Stop playing mind games with yourself.

 

[DexUK]

Generally speaking, if you’re not sure you’ve committed a ‘mortal’ sin, then you probably haven’t.

It take a real effort to consciously and deliberately commit a mortal sin in full knowledge and with full rejection of God - i.e. with deliberate malice of forethought.

Anything else means you’re less in control or it’s simply accidental. It may be a sin, but it won’t be mortal.

Scrupulosity overdone can be a sin in and of itself, because you deliberately withhold yourself from God’s graces which are freely given and God doesn’t want you to be left out in the cold: He loves you much too much for that.

 

[Bookcat]

It take a real effort to consciously and deliberately commit a mortal sin in full knowledge and with full rejection of God - i.e. with deliberate malice of forethought.

One does not need “full rejection of God” for mortal sin…one needs only full consent with the full knowledge and complete consent…with of course a grave matter…and also…one does not need “deliberate malice”…malice is not required for a mortal sin.

Scrupulosity overdone can be a sin in and of itself, because you deliberately withhold yourself from God’s graces which are freely given and God doesn’t want you to be left out in the cold: He loves you much too much for that.

I would not be putting scrupulosity in the area of “sin”…

 

[DexUK]

I used ‘malice of forethought’ only in an idiomatic way, not the legalistic way in which you interpreted it. Apologies if that made my argument less cogent.

Specifically with regard to the difficulty in committing a mortal sin: one assumes that most people who have a faith would rather not separate themselves from God. I can’t speak with certainty for anyone else, but I know I don’t. And yet people sin, and apparently sin mortally according to some people’s measures.

Yet if one sins ‘mortally’ while still wishing to retain the connection to God, surely that implies that the sinner is acting either without full understanding of the nature of their sin, in which case, ignorance, we are taught, ‘downgrades’ the sin from mortal… or… they can’t simply help themselves (enough), in which case they aren’t fully culpable.

I’m not saying it’s impossible to commit a mortal sin; rather that temptation sometimes overwhelms our capacity to reason correctly or to resist it. Naturally this means being careful in one’s life and being aware enough of one’s own weaknesses in order to avoid the occasions of sin whereby our resolve is insufficient, but I think God is more charitable about these sorts of things than we often are…

 

[Bookcat]

Specifically with regard to the difficulty in committing a mortal sin: one assumes that most people who have a faith would rather not separate themselves from God. I can’t speak with certainty for anyone else, but I know I don’t. And yet people sin, and apparently sin mortally according to some people’s measures.

Yet if one sins ‘mortally’ while still wishing to retain the connection to God, surely that implies that the sinner is acting either without full understanding of the nature of their sin…

This is not how the Church understands it…if one does the grave matter…for what ever reason…with full knowledge and full consent…it is mortal sin …yes there can be things that lesson the culpability …of course…but even the fact that one does not want to separate from God is not really one of these things…or necessarily a sign of such…

I’m not saying it’s impossible to commit a mortal sin; rather that temptation sometimes overwhelms our capacity to reason correctly or to resist it. Naturally this means being careful in one’s life and being aware enough of one’s own weaknesses in order to avoid the occasions of sin whereby our resolve is insufficient, but I think God is more charitable about these sorts of things than we often are…

Yes God is ready to forgive…and seeks us with his Grace…but we can for whatever reason…even very much not wanting to separate ourselves from God…commit a mortal sin when we choose something that is a grave matter, with full knowledge and complete consent…

Anyhow this is a scruple thread…and not really the place…