Confession.

Englishman

Is it really good for the soul? Does it make us clean and pure again?

Or is it the easy way out, a way of shrugging off our misdoings and leaving us free to behave badly again, for example by visiting a confessional box each week?

Yet again, could confessing witness-style, be ultimately a degrading experience that robs one of self-esteem? Maybe it also stops us learning by our mistakes and thereby stops our maturation, leaving us in a child-like and almost helpless frame of mind?

Is it best never to confess to anything?

Just wondering!

Englishman.

StinkyPantz

My vote: good for the soul; cleansing.

Hamas

I don't think it does a person any good.

The whole thing boils down to sin. People think that they sin according to the words of an ancient book writen by men.... so they try to gain redemption by admitting it.

Why beat yourself up over it ? I'm not about to confess my sins to some pervy little priest.

StinkyPantz

Hamas-

I think that Englishman was referring to confessing in general, not necessarily to a priest. E-man, correct me if I'm wrong.

E-man-

I must confess that I think you are a cutie.

teenyuck

I think it is a waste of time. What is the point of telling someone else what you did?

Is it really good for the soul? Does it make us clean and pure again?

Only if you let it....I don't think it works.

Is it best never to confess to anything?

You know what you did was wrong/bad/unethical/etc. You don't need someone to tell you that. Then to have the person tell you that God will not be happy you did *that* and you need to do *something* to make up for it, is just ridiculous.

I think confession is a way for people to mentally transfer responsibility. I think it lulls people into thinking that by talking about *it*, *it* goes away.

Buck up. Take responsibility for your screw up, learn from your mistake and move on.

Hamas

..... do'h.

Ravyn

I don't believe in Original Sin or sin per se, however I have gone to Confession in the Catholic church and my experience has been that the priest was a sympathetic listener, good counselor, and generally did not believe in sin either...but he was an exceptional priest. Thing is, I have met more exceptional priests than I ever thought was possible when I was a JW. (Please no sex abuse flames---they are not all molesters anymore than all JWs are!--and percentage-wise alot less molesters than JWs according to the stats on Silent Lambs!)

I find it very therapeutic, my problem is, that since I really do not believe in sin---I have a hard time coming up with any to go to Confession for! Incidentally in the Catholic Church it is called the Rite of Reconcilliation. That also takes some of the emphasis off the idea of 'sin'.

Ravyn

StinkyPantz

Okay, I guess I read the question differently than everyone else.

I do not believe that confessing to a priest is all that beneficial or necessary, but I think confession in other circumstances should be done.

mouthy

I think confessing to others( not a priest) is good for the soul & others. Why? in our group most exJWs--- we go around the room & introduce ourselves -& in our intro's some usally tell of their"sin" within the Borg. It helps newcomers to realize we all "Goof" at sometime or another. Sin is sin!!! I dont believe one is worse than another on a scale 1-20....Once we "share " our deep dark secret we realize we have mostly all"been there done that".We have had gays! adulterers,theives,liars,you name it we have had them-we have also had folks who sinned BEFORE they went into the WT -And it was the WT that straighened them up( like me)Of course it was FEAR of Jehovah that made me straighten up.Now we dont fear- we LOVE!!!Unconditionly- I have found we truly LOVE one another & we know our weakness-We can help each other .Just adding my two cents. I realize not all understand my reasoning -but that is why I am known as odd!!!!!

kitties_and_horses_oh_my!

I think part of my feelings have to do w/being raised a dub. I feel like I have to confess to everything I do wrong, usually to the person I've hurt, and if no one is hurt but me I usually still tell someone...maybe hoping they'll tell me they'll still love me anyway. It eases my spirit, but it's kind of a selfish thing to do.

Confession.

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