C
coolcatholicguy
Guest
Sometimes I seem to have bad thoughts about God appear in my head. I even feel like sometimes I mean them. Do you have any advice on how to stop this?
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J
Just_Lurking
Guest
The psychiatric term for this is “intrusive thoughts” (see here). There are both behavioral and pharmaceutical therapies available.
K
kamaan
Guest
I too sometimes experience these thoughts… once I was looking at a picture of Pope John Paul II kneeling in front of the Eucharistic and for some reason I thought “wow, this looks dumb, there is nothing in there” 
When these thoughts come into my head, I usually say the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel:
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who wander throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
When these thoughts come into my head, I usually say the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel:
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who wander throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
B
Bookcat
Guest
(from previous posts)
Regarding thoughts
while Jesus makes it clear that one can sin in ones thoughts…just cause some lustful thought happens does not mean that one sinned…or just cause some “thought against God” happens does not mean one has sinned either…
(and one can have a sufficiently good reason to think about sexual matters…for instance studying moral theology…but care must be taken to avoid things that would be a problem…but that is another question)
What should we do with* unwanted* thoughts? Those pesky temptations that can come …even though we are not seeking them etc…
(there are of course some things we should avoid that cause them…and there can be sin if it is something one should reasonably avoid…but often they come uninvited)
First…Relax. Do not worry.
Now are they mortal sins?
For a mortal sin one needs a grave matter …full knowledge AND deliberate consent!!!
A. If you do not want the thought…it the thought displeases you: it can be a sign actually that you did not give consent or do not give full consent.
B. Even if you felt a temptation for the thought – and were drawn to it —but rejected it and maybe even turned to God : again a sign not full consent.
C. But what if one has a tempting thought --say of a sexual nature and even hesitated for a moment…but then rejected it for one did not want to sin? : it can be partial consent perhaps (and thus a venial sin)-- or it may be no sin at all but rather a strong temptation that drew you but then you saw what was happening and turned away.
D. A temptation can even be very strong or the thoughts very often – but this does NOT mean one has consented! so worry not…even it they go on for a long time…
remember --for it to be mortal there must be that deliberate consent!
What to do? on the spiritual side–relax first of all and remember the above.
Next – know that the more one fears the thoughts the more likely they are to come… or said another way --the more a person seeks to avoid the thoughts the more likely he will have a problem with them. (but do not worry about this either!)
for example: for the next 10 seconds try NOT to think of an apple.
tick tock …
tick tock…
Ok what did you think of? Most likely an apple.
So it is best to ignore them and just not consent and then turn your attention to some other good thing…for instance whatever you are doing. Simply do not consent and move on. and do not worry
another point – thoughts can just happen --they are the stuff with which we think…it is up to us to consent and take them further or not. and just because they are REAL VIVID and almost “think themselves” does not mean per se that one has given ANY consent.
they can be annoying…but need cause no actual harm …
Regarding thoughts
while Jesus makes it clear that one can sin in ones thoughts…just cause some lustful thought happens does not mean that one sinned…or just cause some “thought against God” happens does not mean one has sinned either…
(and one can have a sufficiently good reason to think about sexual matters…for instance studying moral theology…but care must be taken to avoid things that would be a problem…but that is another question)
What should we do with* unwanted* thoughts? Those pesky temptations that can come …even though we are not seeking them etc…
(there are of course some things we should avoid that cause them…and there can be sin if it is something one should reasonably avoid…but often they come uninvited)
First…Relax. Do not worry.
Now are they mortal sins?
For a mortal sin one needs a grave matter …full knowledge AND deliberate consent!!!
A. If you do not want the thought…it the thought displeases you: it can be a sign actually that you did not give consent or do not give full consent.
B. Even if you felt a temptation for the thought – and were drawn to it —but rejected it and maybe even turned to God : again a sign not full consent.
C. But what if one has a tempting thought --say of a sexual nature and even hesitated for a moment…but then rejected it for one did not want to sin? : it can be partial consent perhaps (and thus a venial sin)-- or it may be no sin at all but rather a strong temptation that drew you but then you saw what was happening and turned away.
D. A temptation can even be very strong or the thoughts very often – but this does NOT mean one has consented! so worry not…even it they go on for a long time…
remember --for it to be mortal there must be that deliberate consent!
What to do? on the spiritual side–relax first of all and remember the above.
Next – know that the more one fears the thoughts the more likely they are to come… or said another way --the more a person seeks to avoid the thoughts the more likely he will have a problem with them. (but do not worry about this either!)
for example: for the next 10 seconds try NOT to think of an apple.
tick tock …
tick tock…
Ok what did you think of? Most likely an apple.
So it is best to ignore them and just not consent and then turn your attention to some other good thing…for instance whatever you are doing. Simply do not consent and move on. and do not worry
another point – thoughts can just happen --they are the stuff with which we think…it is up to us to consent and take them further or not. and just because they are REAL VIVID and almost “think themselves” does not mean per se that one has given ANY consent.
they can be annoying…but need cause no actual harm …
B
BouncingBall
Guest
I occasionally have the same problem. What I do is make the sign of the cross over my ears. It seems to work.
M
Monica4316
Guest
I had this happen to me for several months and it was very difficult to deal with… for some reason it stopped. Remember that if you don’t want them, and aren’t choosing them, they’re just temptations. It’s possible to feel like you meant the thoughts but not actually mean them because you don’t want them and are fighting them. Our feelings are very deceptive. It still helps to confess this though and to have contrition for the thoughts, even if they’re just temptations, because humility and contrition are good ways to fight the enemy. When this happens, try to distract yourself and don’t fight the thoughts directly, rather turn your mind to something else, and say or think something opposite - like ‘I love You Jesus’. If a horrible thought goes through your mind, just use that as an opportunity to praise God in some way. The devil would hate that and God would see that your will is to love Him, and at the same time you would be growing in your love for God. This was the advice given to me by a good priest.
God bless
S
Shin
Guest
The writings of the saints, most especially the monastics have much advice on how to deal with this matter.
Here’s a quote of many from St. Moses the Black whose day it is.
‘It is impossible for the mind not to be approached by thoughts, but it is in the power of every earnest man either to admit them or to reject them. As then their rising up does not entirely depend on ourselves, so the rejection or admission of them lies in our own power. But because we said that it is impossible for the mind not to be approached by thoughts, you must not lay everything to the charge of the assault, or to those spirits who strive to instil them into us, else there would not remain any free will in man, nor would efforts for our improvement be in our power: but it is, I say, to a great extent in our power to improve the character of our thoughts and to let either holy and spiritual thoughts or earthly ones grow up in our hearts. For for this purpose frequent reading and continual meditation on the Scriptures is employed that from thence an opportunity for spiritual recollection may be given to us, therefore the frequent singing of Psalms is used, that thence constant feelings of compunction may be provided, and earnest vigils and fasts and prayers, that the mind may be brought low and not mind earthly things, but contemplate things celestial, for if these things are dropped and carelessness creeps on us, the mind being hardened with the foulness of sin is sure to incline in a carnal direction and fall away.’
St. Moses the Black Hermit
‘As the reading of bad books fills the mind with worldly and poisonous sentiments; so, on the other hand, the reading of pious works fills the soul with holy thoughts and good desires.’
St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Generally the devils works from our memories for the source material to attack us with bad thoughts from… so remembering only good prevents that line of attack (though there are others)…
But mental (spiritual) warfare is something that lasts an entire life, it is after all the business of life on earth.
‘Blessed the one who stands in the assembly and prays like an Angel from heaven, keeping his thoughts pure day by day, and has given no entrance to the Evil One to make his soul a prisoner, far from God his Saviour.’
St. Ephrem of Syria
Here’s a quote of many from St. Moses the Black whose day it is.
‘It is impossible for the mind not to be approached by thoughts, but it is in the power of every earnest man either to admit them or to reject them. As then their rising up does not entirely depend on ourselves, so the rejection or admission of them lies in our own power. But because we said that it is impossible for the mind not to be approached by thoughts, you must not lay everything to the charge of the assault, or to those spirits who strive to instil them into us, else there would not remain any free will in man, nor would efforts for our improvement be in our power: but it is, I say, to a great extent in our power to improve the character of our thoughts and to let either holy and spiritual thoughts or earthly ones grow up in our hearts. For for this purpose frequent reading and continual meditation on the Scriptures is employed that from thence an opportunity for spiritual recollection may be given to us, therefore the frequent singing of Psalms is used, that thence constant feelings of compunction may be provided, and earnest vigils and fasts and prayers, that the mind may be brought low and not mind earthly things, but contemplate things celestial, for if these things are dropped and carelessness creeps on us, the mind being hardened with the foulness of sin is sure to incline in a carnal direction and fall away.’
St. Moses the Black Hermit
‘As the reading of bad books fills the mind with worldly and poisonous sentiments; so, on the other hand, the reading of pious works fills the soul with holy thoughts and good desires.’
St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Generally the devils works from our memories for the source material to attack us with bad thoughts from… so remembering only good prevents that line of attack (though there are others)…
But mental (spiritual) warfare is something that lasts an entire life, it is after all the business of life on earth.
‘Blessed the one who stands in the assembly and prays like an Angel from heaven, keeping his thoughts pure day by day, and has given no entrance to the Evil One to make his soul a prisoner, far from God his Saviour.’
St. Ephrem of Syria
T
TheQuestioner
Guest
Good advice everyone. Also, pray for God to purify your thoughts and your mind.
A
AlanFromWichita
Guest
When I’ve had intrusive thoughts – often during Mass – I found that if I try to fight them they get stronger.
What has worked is difficult to describe. It’s kind of like when you see a child do something wrong that isn’t very serious, and you can look at the child and inwardly smile, “oh bless her heart,” even though you may need to keep a “cool” or “stern” outward appearance. So when the thoughts go by, instead of being horrified, I know that in themselves they are harmless so I let them go and have their way for the moment. They quickly get bored and stop.
Alan
What has worked is difficult to describe. It’s kind of like when you see a child do something wrong that isn’t very serious, and you can look at the child and inwardly smile, “oh bless her heart,” even though you may need to keep a “cool” or “stern” outward appearance. So when the thoughts go by, instead of being horrified, I know that in themselves they are harmless so I let them go and have their way for the moment. They quickly get bored and stop.
Alan
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