Anjana Sahney Thakker
The topic of 'don't confess doubtful sins' is a complex one, with many nuances to consider. In essence, it refers to the idea that one should not confess sins that they are uncertain about, as doing so would be a lie and could weaken both character and spirituality. However, it is also important to note that there is no obligation to confess doubtful mortal sins, and that being overly scrupulous can lead to unnecessary worry and confusion. The key is to be honest and straightforward in one's confession, without wasting too much time trying to resolve doubts or analyse oneself.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What to do if you are doubtful about a sin | Do not confess doubtful sins as certain, to be on the safe side |
| Why | If you do, there won't be any doubt about your lie |
| What to do instead | Tell the truth and be simple and terse about it |
| What to do if you are doubtful about a sin, but don't want to omit it | If you very occasionally remember such sins and do not make a habit of it, it is better to confess them just as they are |
What You'll Learn
If you think it more likely that you consented to sin, say so
It is important to be honest when confessing sins. Do not confess doubtful sins as certain, because if you do, there won't be any doubt about your lie. It is a lie to confess as certain what you know to be uncertain. Such a surrender to unreasoning fear and timidity weakens both character and spirituality. Tell the truth and be simple and terse about it. If you think it more likely that you consented to sin, say so; if you think it less likely, say so. Do not waste a lot of time trying to solve the doubt, because the longer you analyse yourself, the more confused you will become, and you may even renew the temptation.
If you are doubtful about a sin, it is better to confess it as doubtful. This will save you further worry and trouble. However, if you make a habit of confessing doubtful sins and are constantly afraid of having omitted sins, then it is better not to confess them at all.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent mentions doubtful sins, but it is not clear what they mean. Some people seem more intent on defending themselves than on confessing their sins. The Church tells us that we are bound to confess every single mortal sin that we are certain of, committed after baptism, and not previously confessed and absolved in a good confession. We are not bound to confess anything else.
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If you think it less likely, say so
The Catechism of the Council of Trent states that you should not confess doubtful sins as certain. If you do, there won't be any doubt about your lie. It is a lie to confess as certain what you know to be uncertain. This kind of surrender to unreasoning fear and timidity weakens both character and spirituality.
If you think it less likely that you consented to sin, say so. Be simple and terse about it. Don't waste a lot of time trying to solve the doubt, because the longer you analyse yourself, the more confused you will become, and you may even renew the temptation. If you are constantly afraid of having omitted sins, it is better not to confess.
Strictly speaking, there is no obligation to confess doubtful mortal sins. The Church tells us that we are bound to confess every single mortal sin that we are certain of, committed after baptism, and not previously confessed and absolved in a good confession. We are not bound to confess anything else.
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Don't waste time trying to solve the doubt
It is important not to confess doubtful sins as certain, because if you do, there won't be any doubt about your lie. It is a lie to confess as certain what you know to be uncertain, and such a surrender to unreasoning fear and timidity weakens both character and spirituality.
If you are doubtful about a sin, do not spend much time trying to solve the doubt, because the longer you analyse yourself, the more confused you will become, and you may even renew the temptation. The Catechism of the Council of Trent mentions doubtful sins, but it is not clear what they mean. Some interpret this to mean that you should not confess doubtful sins in confession, but only sins that are clear and certain.
The Church tells us that we are bound to confess every single mortal sin that we are certain of, committed after baptism, and not previously confessed and absolved in a good confession. We are not bound to confess anything else. As a matter of advice, if the sin is doubtful, let it be confessed as doubtful, and thus further worry and trouble will be saved.
If you are constantly afraid of having omitted sins, it is better not to confess doubtful sins at all. Strictly speaking, there is no obligation to confess doubtful mortal sins. If you think it more likely that you consented to sin, say so; if you think it less likely, say so, and don't waste a lot of time about it.
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Don't omit doubtful sins
It is important not to omit doubtful sins, but also not to confess them as certain. If you are doubtful about a sin, it is better to confess it as doubtful and save yourself further worry and trouble. This is because, if you confess a doubtful sin as certain, there won't be any doubt about your lie. It is a lie to confess as certain what you know to be uncertain, and such a surrender to unreasoning fear and timidity weakens both character and spirituality.
If you think it more likely that you consented to sin, say so; if you think it less likely, say so. Be simple and terse about it, and don't waste a lot of time trying to solve the doubt. The longer you analyse yourself, the more confused you will become, and you may even renew the temptation.
Strictly speaking, there is no obligation to confess doubtful mortal sins. If you occasionally remember such sins and do not make a habit of it, it is better to confess them just as they are. But if you do make a habit of it and are constantly afraid of having omitted sins, it is better not to confess.
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Confess doubtful sins as doubtful
It is generally advised that you do not confess doubtful sins as certain. This is because confessing as certain what you know to be uncertain is a lie, and such a surrender to unreasoning fear and timidity weakens both character and spirituality. If you think it more likely that you consented to sin, say so; if you think it less likely, say so. Strictly speaking, there is no obligation to confess doubtful mortal sins.
If you are doubtful about a sin, do not spend much time trying to solve the doubt, because the longer you analyse yourself, the more confused you will become, and you may even renew the temptation. If you are constantly afraid of having omitted sins, it is better not to confess. However, if you only occasionally remember such sins and do not make a habit of it, then it is better to confess them just as they are.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent mentions doubtful sins, but it is not clear what they mean. The Church tells us that we are bound to confess every single mortal sin that we are certain of, committed after baptism, and not previously confessed and absolved in a good confession. We are not bound to confess anything else. As a matter of advice, if the sin is doubtful, let it be confessed as doubtful, and thus further worry and trouble will be saved.
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Frequently asked questions
It is a lie to confess as certain what you know to be uncertain.
Surrendering to unreasoning fear and timidity weakens both character and spirituality.
Don't spend much time trying to solve the doubt, because the longer you analyse yourself, the more confused you will become, and you may even renew the temptation.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent mentions doubtful sins, but it is not clear what they mean.
It is better to confess them just as they are, and have done with them.
