Stop Doubting Yourself

Part 1

"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good
we oft might win by fearing to attempt."
– William Shakespeare

Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride are referred to in Christian teachings as the "seven deadly sins." These, to the Roman Catholics, are the cardinal sins. If a person commits any of them, he is believed to be removed from God's grace.

Actually, the Bible does not specifically mention the concept of "seven deadly sins." But in Galatians 5: 16-19, fifteen acts of sinful nature are identified – sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies. Perhaps St. Gregory the Great, during his reign as Pope (590 – 640 AD), shortened that long list of capital vices, wanting to be concise.

All Christian faithful are called upon not to commit those acts of the flesh. St Paul said believers are free, but he implored them not to use their freedom to indulge the flesh. That definitely, is easier said than done.

I think St. Paul (who wrote the Galatians) and St. Gregory may have overlooked another human frailty that should have been added to the list of sins. There exists another spiritual infirmity that I believe should be considered equally harmful as any of the deadly sins. It's called self-doubt.

My proposition (that self-doubt also be classified as sin) may not be considered seriously. Many might even say it's preposterous.

Is it?

Is self-doubt just an ordinary flaw in a person's character? Is it really a bit too much to consider it a sin? Is it not a serious offense that, when committed, could ruin a person's life?

Allow me to argue my assertion that self-doubt is a sin. For those who do not believe in the concept of religion, think of self-doubt not as a sin but as an injury you inflict upon yourselves.

This article defines self-doubt as "the feeling of not having confidence in yourself or your abilities." The concept of doubt discussed here does not refer to that philosophical function "to cast doubt."

The definition above (the one before the disambiguation) makes self-doubt sound harmless – not something immoral or demonic that would make the moralists and bible scholars (both past and present) consider it a sin. That's probably why no religious movement, Christianity included, classified such human inadequacy as a sin. You might also refuse to accept that it is an injury you inflict upon yourself.

Self-doubt, however, is not as simple as it seems. This impotence of the human spirit has grave consequences not only for the person having it but also for the family where he belongs and the society where he lives. A person plagued by it will be less-productive or unproductive and will definitely not contribute anything to his family and society.

In arguing that self-doubt is a sin (or a self-inflicted injury) it is important to review the nature of sin from a philosophical standpoint.

"Sin is said to be a moral evil" (O'Neil, 1912). This brings us to another question – what is evil? St. Thomas defines the word (evil) as a privation of form, order, or due measure. "Evil implies a deficiency in perfection."

Self-doubt is clearly an imperfection. It indicates the absence of confidence, considered essential for a person's well-being and a requirement in pursuing what Abraham Maslow refers to in Psychology as "self-actualization," or achieving one's full potential. Sin diverges from the perceived ideal order of human living (Hyde, 2018). A person doubting his capabilities veers from becoming the best he can be and reduces his chance of living life to the fullest.