Scruples - Is It Just Another Form Of Pride?

[zunshynn]

Well, every sin is a form of pride... and scrupulosity can be sinful, but of course fear, force of habit, and mental and emotional balances create extenuating factors in a person's culpability. It is my understanding that it is often a combination of anxiety which is simply a dominant trait of certain people's emotional makeup, and also in a certain sense, pride (even if the person is not conscious of that. Like nihil said, it is a lack of trust in the redeeming power of God... but that right there IS pride. It is pride to think that anything of mine, including my sins, is greater than God's mercy. At the same time... that pride is often largely due to emotional issues that a person is not entirely in control of... whether due to personality, or experiences which have led that person to have a conscience that is not well-formed, and thus, scrupulous.

Edited January 25, 2010 by zunshynn

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[quote name='zunshynn' date='25 January 2010 - 03:23 PM' timestamp='1264393404' post='2044006']
Well, every sin is a form of pride... and scrupolosity can be sinful, but of course fear, force of habit, and mental and emotional balances create extenuating factors in a person's culpability. It is my understanding that it is often a combination of anxiety which is simply a dominant trait of certain people's emotional makeup, and also in a certain sense, pride (even if the person is not conscious of that. Like nihil said, it is a lack of trust in the redeeming power of God... but that right there IS pride. It is pride to think that anything of mine, including my sins, is greater than God's mercy. At the same time... that pride is often largely due to emotional issues that a person is not entirely in control of... whether due to personality, or experiences which have led that person to have a conscience that is not well-formed, and thus, scrupulous.
[/quote]

I like the way you describe that, thank you. I am thinking more and more that it is as you said, about not trusting God, but also in not focusing enough on Him (which causes us not to trust Him). When we look at ourselves too much, it is from a kind of vanity (sin of pride) and this can cause scruples, but also as you say, this may not be the only cause. But if we look at Him instead, we can focus not so much on our sins as on His mercy. I know that once I came out of Confession and was still thinking about what I had confessed and feeling bad about my sins, when I had to mentally shake myself and say "You have just been forgiven and absolved and done your penance. You are reconciled. Now stop thinking about yourself and start being grateful to God for His mercy in making this Sacrament possible."
That changed my whole outlook.

Thanks again.