Are feeling of 'guilt' a necessary part of the Catholic experience?

Question

All my Catholic friends, including both those who embrace the faith and those who are trying to escape it, seem to be plagued with guilt.

Not having had a Catholic upbringing, I don't know the specifics but it seems to me that the clergy could lighten up a bit with their use of guilt to control the flock.

Despite other good things, this alone seems to be a big counter-productive 'force' to the overall message of love and kindness. It drives away some and enslaves others. I can't see this as the way Jesus would have liked it.

Can anyone explain to me why this is so common and an apparently necessary tool of The Church?

I didn't mean this question so much for the big ticket sin items but more for just everyday little things - you can address it how you like though.

Whats with deflection of the issues onto Jews? Lets leave them out of this discussion - I was asking about Catholics.

cmhelp1 - I think that you are onto something there but is psychological torture really any better than physical torture?

Yeah, Irish Eyes, the guilt-greed connection goes back to the days of selling pardons ('tickets to heaven' anyone?) and beyond...

Answer 1

Greed.

Catholicism has rooted itself in fear and guilt and is horrible and un-Christ like in this respect. The short of it is to keep you within it's walls because they will try to convince you that you'll burn in hell without them thus keeping your money there. Good old Catholic greed. They get people to feel guilty and manage to heavily imply that cash tithes will go a long way in atonement second only to confession. Not all churches are like this but the preponderance are. It harkens back to a gazillian years ago when the church was originally set up to be a ruling & governing power. Didn't happen but they have the same approach and need a lot of people/money. Helps them to run their country. However, the seminaries and convents are seeing their numbers drop off drastically due to these, other un-Godly practices & leagalistic doctrine.

Answer 2

Guilt is crated when we do something wrong, it is not only Catholics that feel Guilty about things.

They just really need a deeper understanding of the Catholic Faith, it is not about guilt, it is about the Grace of God, and as we age, we realize how lucky we are to have so many tools to live a good life on earth and an eternity in heaven.

It is hard for young people to comprehend that in the new MTV generation that is constantly telling kids that Immorality will bring them happiness, and is fine.

Sadly, many will not realize it until they have learned some very hard lessons, but, the Laws of God bring True happiness on this earth, Sin never will.

Just look at the drug addiction, suicide, and divorce rates of the rich and famous. They can afford the best drugs, drive the best cars, multiple sex partners, yet they are still un-happy.

I am a Catholic out of Love of God, not fear or Guilt.

Good Luck, hope this helps!

Peace!

Answer 3

Yes and no.

As a religion Catholicism tends to emphasize personal responsibility and a strong sense of right and wrong. Guilt is supposed to happen when someone knowingly does wrong (sins). This is your conscience telling you to go back to God.

There would be something wrong with you if you sinned and did not feel guilty. Sociopaths feel no guilt.

However feeling guilty after God has forgiven you is not healthy or Catholic.

The guilt a Catholic feels is really no different that that of a Protestant, an Atheist, a pagan or other believer. The term "Catholic Guilt" is a stereotype.

With love in Christ

Answer 4

I was raised Catholic and decided that Cotholicism was not for me in my young adulthood. I have to say that guilt was not one of the reasons. I agree with the other answerers who said they thought SHAME was the word you were looking for. THere is such a strong emphasis on original sin, our eternal imperfection and the need to have intercessors (Mary and other saints), the necessity of repeating rote prayers -- as if our own words are not capable of reaching God -- all these things add up to an overwhelming feeling of unworthiness and shame. I don't really think it's guilt, because there's nothing to be guilty for. Guilty for existing, maybe? In my opinion the constant feeling of shame propogated by the Church, keeps people coming. Priests would become almost unnecessary if people thought they didn't need to confess and have absolution, if people thought they could pray and have a relationship with God on their own. If the lay people feel shame, the clergy become more... "holy"... for lack of a better word.

Answer 5

It's not the clergy or the Church which makes people feel guilty. But it is the mistakes they have made in their lives, their sins, their realization of not being worthy to receive the body and blood of Christ. However, it is the Church and clergy which remedy the affliction of guilt and offer us relief from it, by offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). If we didn't have the opportunity to confess our wrongs, talk to our priests, and seek moral guidance/advice, we would really be lost in guilt and depression.

So just to go back and put it in retrospect, we naturally feel guilt as people with morals and values who make mistakes everyday. But the Church and the clergy are what bring us through that guilt and through confession we are healed.

Answer 6

I am Catholic and I do not wallow in guilt. Neither guilt nor shame are part of my religious foundation,but an informed conscience and the liberating experience of Divine cleansing,especially in Holy Confession,are.

I hear of "Catholic guilt' mostly from ex Catholics(who no longer confessing seem to be stuck in guilt) and Non Catholics who seem to be projecting .

A far bigger problem today than Victorian prudery or "Irritible God Syndrome"or Calvinist/Jansenist guilt-obsession is lack of personal responsiblity for one's actions and of objective and accountable moral norms.

Answer 7

Actually, from an atheist's point of view, no part of the Catholic experience is necessary, so it would depend upon your spiritual/nonspiritual point of view. I think it is requisite for being Catholic, yes. The mountains of verses in the bible proclaiming man's sinful, evil, and worthless nature attest to that much, so not only is it a part of Catholicism, it's a part of every sub-sect of Christianity, as well as its predecessors.

Answer 8

As a former Catholic and a former Baptist, I say that feelings of guilt are absolutely essential to accepting Christianity. It's the whole "cosmic fire insurance" thing. "You better accept what we say or you're going to hell"! Guilt is a powerful motivator. If you get over it, you can start questioning what the bible and these preachers are saying and start evaluating it for yourself. I did and found them lacking. I don't buy any of that stuff anymore.

Answer 9

It is not a penalty of the church
as chosen people by the merits of baptism and confirmation in being children of God. Guilt is the penalty due to sin from loving God and having offended him.

Answer 10

I once summed up the entire Catholic religion in 5 words "you will burn in hell". I continued on with several other religions, and discovered that many of them had a similar theme, but where others have the fear of hell and hope of heaven, if you follow Catholic dogma to the letter, you will still have done something to go to hell, unless you are struck by lightening on your way out of confession. Even then, if you think "oh shi!" as you fry, oops, it's hell for you again.