Does confession work?

Question

Do people actually believe that speaking to a man in a closet and then having him tell you to flick beads with your fingers can absolve you for the things you have done to hurt others?

Answer 1

I am Jewish but let me take a stab at this. I think in a way it might. People are "getting it off their chest" and they are doing it to an authoritiy figure that they trust. Psychologically, it might be very beneficial to them, yes.

Answer 2

I think that people misunderstand what is supposed to happen in a sacrament. Many people look upon it as the priest being given the power to bestow grace, forgive sins, etc. The priest, however, is merely a representative of the presence of God and the community, just as Jesus was both God and man on earth. In confession, now known as the act of reconciliation, it is God who is forgiving the sin, not the priest. The priest is a representative of God and he is representing the community. Both have to be present because a sin is against God, an act of turning away from HIM, and against the community because it usually is some act that harms someone in the community. In the early days of Christianity there were only two or three mortal sins that required an act of reconciliation: murder, adultery, and rejecting God (apostasy). In those acts we can truly see that there is both a loss of faith and an act against the community, both requiring reconciliation with the community and God. The purpose of giving someone an act of contrition (the rosary bead thing as you mentioned) was more significant in the being. The purpose was to show contrition to the community and make amends. From a psychological point of view, a little mild punishment given today helps to emphasize to the person that s/he has done wrong and s/he should remember to follow the right path. Maybe it would be better to teach a better way (as Mark Gold would say), but most priests are not that sophisticated, and neither are most Catholics or Christians, Jews or agnostics, Buddhists or Moslems, Shintos, etc.
Does confession work? Well, it does if people feel reconciled to their God and their community and don't perform wrongful actions against others. What we want is a more peaceful world, and I would take it any way I could get it.

Answer 3

I personally do not believe in the catholic confession, but i do believe that there is a certain release when you tell others what you have done, even if it is just your God. I think that penance for that sin that you committed will be paid, most likely in this life, not in Hell. But no, playing with Mommie's necklace won't absolve you of murder or fornication.

Answer 4

Never tried it. I don't think it would work for me.

However, the idea is not that you told the guy in the closet what you did, but through telling him, you felt true remorse. The whole idea is that you cannot be forgiven until you feel remorse and admit you actually did anything to be forgiven for.

So the man in the box is inconsequential really.

Answer 5

if this is the attitude, I would think not.

But, it does say to confess your sins to your PEERS.

I sometimes think this is a good thing to have. Maybe you don't want to tell your friends what you have done wrong.

Unless they were real friends, they would talk about you behind your back and just laugh.

But when confession is sincere, it does get a world of burden off your shoulders, and brings a sense of serenity, for being strong enough to face some issues.

Admitting your a drug addict to yourself (referring to myself) is the first step. But I wouldn't tell everyone, like my boss, cause he might fire me. So, talking to a stranger that offers a word of condolence might be a good start for recovery.

so yes, I think it works.

Answer 6

It works so far as the man in the closet probably gets a kick (or a rise) out of some of the juicier confessions. After all, he doesn't get to have all that taboo sex like the people in the other closet beside him.

Answer 7

I belive the sacriment of Reconcilation does work. In reconcilation you go to be truly forgiven because you are admiting your faults and aren't afraid to say I'm wrong and I'm sorry. Reconcilation is like baptism, it washes away the sins and cleanses you of evil alowing you to be a better follower of Christ.

Answer 8

Not the roman cult kind.... but all who come to God in The Way He prescribes will find that confession does indeed have great benefit.

Answer 9

Yes.

Answer 10

Why should I confess to another person something that my Heavenly Father already knows about me.