Confession Myths

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We have a Baptist in our Catholic bible study group (she hasn’t found her particular Baptist strain down here in the Bible Belt and so doesn’t attend church).

We were discussing John chapters 2 and 3 and she brought up the topic of confession and how unnecessary it was.

One of the things I found pretty funny was the notion that Catholics view Confession as a “get out of jail free” card for sin.

My wife and I shared how harrowing our first Confessions were, because the sacrament forced us to truly search our consciences in light of the Catholic teaching on mortal and venial sins and enumerate them. Given this was our first time, we each had LOOOONG lists.

We both dreaded going.

When I got into the Confessional, my heart was in my throat as I began reciting my litany of sins. It was hard enough to review them; harder still to say them out loud. Sins prefer darkness, as our reading topic demonstrated.

When I finished, my confessor didn’t criticize me, nor justify my actions. What he did was emphasize how much God loves me, and asked me to fulfill a small penitential act as a way of showing gratitude for that love, and frankly to give me some practice in the areas where I tend to fall short of the glory.

I saw my church sponsor when I came out. “Feel like a new man?” Absolutely.

There are at least two myths commonly held about the Catholic sacrament of Confession:
  1. That it’s a free ride for sinners.
  2. That it’s for the benefit of the person hearing the Confession vs. the person giving it.
What it made me realize is that I’d been carrying a lot of dead weight around for years. Some of it I’d prayed about, but still doubted I was forgiven. Some of it I’d never really wanted to spend much time thinking about. All of it was sin.

It was tough, but as I walked out of St Gabriel’s that day I felt like a new man. My wife said she felt the same.

I also frankly felt a bit cheated, because I spent so much of my life unable to avail myself of this simple, powerful sacrament.
 
It’s too bad that those that are so against confession couldn’t ‘try it out’ to see what it’s like. Anyone that has gone to confession and experienced God’s forgiving Grace knows the power of this sacrament.
 
Teflon93 said:
There are at least two myths commonly held about the Catholic sacrament of Confession:
  1. That it’s a free ride for sinners.
  2. That it’s for the benefit of the person hearing the Confession vs. the person giving it.
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Number 1 is ironic in so many ways. Since we’re all sinners, basically the only way any of us have any hope is to have some sort of “free ride”, including your Baptist friend, and I’m sure she’d agree.

And in my limited experience, many Baptists believe in OSAS, which is the ultimate “free ride”.

And we Catholics are often suspected of trying to earn our way into Heaven with works…so which is it…are we working our way there or getting a free ride? :whacky:

Bless your study group, you’ll all probably learn a lot.
 
One of the most frequent myths I’ve encountered about Confession (from non-Catholics and poorly catechized Catholics) is that Confession is “the sacrament of guilt,” and that all the Church wants is for you to dredge up all the sins you’ve committed and make you feel miserable about them. The fact is, Confession is not about guilt; it is about forgiveness. Yes, it’s hard to go back and list off the sins we’ve committed, but Confession has often been the best, and sometimes the only, cure for me when I just can’t stop feeling guilty about something.

Just to note, I’m speaking here about inordinate guilt and the inability to get past a sin because we keep beating ourselves up about it. I’m not talking about the sorrow for sins that accompanies genuine repentance.
 
Grace_and_Glory said:
One of the most frequent myths I’ve encountered about Confession (from non-Catholics and poorly catechized Catholics) is that Confession is “the sacrament of guilt,” and that all the Church wants is for you to dredge up all the sins you’ve committed and make you feel miserable about them. The fact is, Confession is not about guilt; it is about forgiveness. Yes, it’s hard to go back and list off the sins we’ve committed, but Confession has often been the best, and sometimes the only, cure for me when I just can’t stop feeling guilty about something.

Just to note, I’m speaking here about inordinate guilt and the inability to get past a sin because we keep beating ourselves up about it. I’m not talking about the sorrow for sins that accompanies genuine repentance.
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Exactly right. Post-Confession was the first time I’d ever felt that my sins were not just forgiven, but GONE.

Our Baptist study group partner also emphasized how much Baptists count on “feeling” the spirit, although she admitted the feelings tend to ebb and flow on any given Sunday. This called to mind something that had bothered me about Pentecostal altar calls—the same people went down every time, no matter the ostensible topic of the call.

Pentecostals tend to harp on the notion that you don’t come to Jesus unless you’re broken and humbled, and I wonder if this wasn’t some sort of attempt on their part to relive the emotions when they first were “saved.”
 
I can’t put into words the feeling I had after going to confession after having been away for over 20 years. It was like an immense weight had simply rolled off my back, and I was a new woman.
 
thomasf said:
It’s too bad that those that are so against confession couldn’t ‘try it out’ to see what it’s like. Anyone that has gone to confession and experienced God’s forgiving Grace knows the power of this sacrament.
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AMEN!!!

As a cradle Catholic, I never understood why Protestants thought that Confession was a get out of jail free card. I am always overwhelmed by the grace we receive after confessing!!!

I didn’t always feel this way. In fact, for many many years I dreaded confession and I really didn’t go for many years. Until of course my kids got to those ages and I had to set a good example. I still dreaded confession but I went. One particular night I will never forget was a penitential service at my parish. The day of the service I had been to court for my divorce. I was soo angry. I never thought I would be divorced!!! I was mad at my ex, mad at God, mad at the world. I planned on dinner with a friend at McDonalds. So I was there with my friend and my kids and I was so angry I just oozed anger. My friend said something to me about it and I have no clue (Holy Spirit???) why I mentioned the penitential service. She was on her dinner break from work. She called her work and told them she would be late coming back and told me to go… Reluctantly I went, more for the opportunity to get away from the kids for a few moments than anything else. On my way into church I saw a nun friend and she asked how I was doing. I think I grumbled something about how horrible life is… I don’t remember the words, just the overwhelming anger. As I sat through the service I just got angrier and angrier… I couldn’t believe it was possible! SO after the service we formed lines to go to confession. I almost punched a guy out in the line he was making me so mad… then the lines were long and I just got madder… So finally my turn came. I really hadn’t had time to prepare. I hadn’t really thought about an examination of conscience… I went up and greeted the priest…first words out of my mouth after that was, “I AM SO ANGRY!!!” and I started bawling… I told him about the divorce and how I was angry at myself, my ex and GOD too. No sooner did I get the words out of my mouth, this incredible calm came over me. Now, this wasn’t a feeling I had felt for many many years and never this calm. As I left the church that night I was totally confused, amazed, bewildered and CALM. Out in the parking lot was that nun. She waited for me! She apparently was worried because I was always so nice and she could see how angry I was. She asked if I was ok… all I could do is look at her and say, “I am happy, really happy for the first time in years.” Then I told her all about how my day went…she just smiled that knowing smile…
 
Confession is only about asking God to forgive our sins but also to make us perfect.

Whoever goes to confession frequently, he/she knows and tastes the goodness of the Lord - so much graces are pouring down on this person. This is very real and not a myth. 🙂
 
Teflon93 said:
One of the things I found pretty funny was the notion that Catholics view Confession as a “get out of jail free” card for sin.

.
Click to expand...
What is ironic is that as a Baptist she probably beleives she has already received a liftime get out of jail free card.
 
Free Ride???

Confession can be one of the hardest things, because it forces us to confront our own failings. It is extremely difficult and requires a lot of courage to admit one’s sins.

Back in the 1970s there was a comedy skit called the “Ajax Liquor Store”. A drunk calls the liquor store and places a very large order. The clerk asks him if he is having a party. the answer: “No, I’m just working up the courage to go to Confession.”
 
BlestOne said:
AMEN!!!

I didn’t always feel this way. In fact, for many many years I dreaded confession and I really didn’t go for many years. Until of course my kids got to those ages and I had to set a good example. I still dreaded confession but I went. One particular night I will never forget was a penitential service at my parish. The day of the service I had been to court for my divorce. I was soo angry. I never thought I would be divorced!!! I was mad at my ex, mad at God, mad at the world. I planned on dinner with a friend at McDonalds. So I was there with my friend and my kids and I was so angry I just oozed anger. My friend said something to me about it and I have no clue (Holy Spirit???) why I mentioned the penitential service. She was on her dinner break from work. She called her work and told them she would be late coming back and told me to go… Reluctantly I went, more for the opportunity to get away from the kids for a few moments than anything else. On my way into church I saw a nun friend and she asked how I was doing. I think I grumbled something about how horrible life is… I don’t remember the words, just the overwhelming anger. As I sat through the service I just got angrier and angrier… I couldn’t believe it was possible! SO after the service we formed lines to go to confession. I almost punched a guy out in the line he was making me so mad… then the lines were long and I just got madder… So finally my turn came. I really hadn’t had time to prepare. I hadn’t really thought about an examination of conscience… I went up and greeted the priest…first words out of my mouth after that was, “I AM SO ANGRY!!!” and I started bawling… I told him about the divorce and how I was angry at myself, my ex and GOD too. No sooner did I get the words out of my mouth, this incredible calm came over me. Now, this wasn’t a feeling I had felt for many many years and never this calm. As I left the church that night I was totally confused, amazed, bewildered and CALM. Out in the parking lot was that nun. She waited for me! She apparently was worried because I was always so nice and she could see how angry I was. She asked if I was ok… all I could do is look at her and say, “I am happy, really happy for the first time in years.” Then I told her all about how my day went…she just smiled that knowing smile…
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This is a beautiful story!

I used to say I had a love/hate relationship with the sacrament. The more I go, though, the more I love it. It is an awesome gift and one that it’s hard to understand unless you’ve experienced it!

You made my day!
 
I can kinda understand the innocently ignorant views that the Protestant woman in your class had.

But is a little ironic. The obviously overt references to confession is exactly what started me looking into converting. Maybe with a bit of guidance she’ll see the light, become a true Bible Christian and join us.
 
Grace_and_Glory said:
One of the most frequent myths I’ve encountered about Confession (from non-Catholics and poorly catechized Catholics) is that Confession is “the sacrament of guilt,” and that all the Church wants is for you to dredge up all the sins you’ve committed and make you feel miserable about them. The fact is, Confession is not about guilt; it is about forgiveness. Yes, it’s hard to go back and list off the sins we’ve committed, but Confession has often been the best, and sometimes the only, cure for me when I just can’t stop feeling guilty about something.

Just to note, I’m speaking here about inordinate guilt and the inability to get past a sin because we keep beating ourselves up about it. I’m not talking about the sorrow for sins that accompanies genuine repentance.
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It always seems worse than it always is, in my opinion. For example, the last time I went to confession, I really didn’t want to go, but I think it was one of the best experiences I had
 
Dirk_Skene said:
I can kinda understand the innocently ignorant views that the Protestant woman in your class had.

But is a little ironic. The obviously overt references to confession is exactly what started me looking into converting. Maybe with a bit of guidance she’ll see the light, become a true Bible Christian and join us.
Click to expand...
You must remember the first rule of Sola Scriptura “Sciprture is to be intereprted literally unless it supports a Catholic Doctrine”😃
 
acadian said:
This is a beautiful story!

I used to say I had a love/hate relationship with the sacrament. The more I go, though, the more I love it. It is an awesome gift and one that it’s hard to understand unless you’ve experienced it!

You made my day!
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Glad I made your day…😃

Yes confession is a love/hate sacrament isn’t it? First you have to humble yourself and admit to someone what you were hoping nobody would ever find out… then you get to listen to that person’s advice and get a penance… but oh the feeling!!! I refer to reconciliation/confession as the Catholic Churches greatest secret. The grace… the weightless feeling… actually feeling quasi good enough to receive Christ… you all know the feeling…
 
estesbob said:
… first rule of Sola Scriptura "Sciprture is to be intereprted literally unless…
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🙂 I have got to remember that :rotfl:

As a matter of fact I know a Baptist I’ll have the opportunity to use it on later today. I am sooo bad
 
Back when I was trying to decide whether to become Catholic, I was working on a novel.

I made several of my main characters practicing Catholics, and wrote “Confession” into the novel. (The main character had to go a lot, because he sinned a lot!) It was a way for me to “try out” being Catholic. Different, I know. But it worked for me. It helped me feel “at home” in Catholicism.

I still haven’t published the novel. Maybe I should. Someone above mentioned that if only Protestants could “try out” Confession. That’s what they get to do in my novels–try out Catholicism.

I know there are lots of “confessions” in movies and TV shows. (e.g., Flashdance, Ladder 49, etc.). These are usually there as vehicles to reveal something about the character. I personally think that they make the Sacrament even more mysterious and weird.

BTW, my favorite actor, Robert Patrick, said that he had an extremely difficult time doing the Confession scene in Ladder 49. (He was a fake priest playing a joke on a rookie fire fighter.) He said the scene didn’t seem right to him, and he had to work hard on finding a motivation.
 
BlestOne said:
Glad I made your day…😃

Yes confession is a love/hate sacrament isn’t it? First you have to humble yourself and admit to someone what you were hoping nobody would ever find out… then you get to listen to that person’s advice and get a penance… but oh the feeling!!! I refer to reconciliation/confession as the Catholic Churches greatest secret. The grace… the weightless feeling… actually feeling quasi good enough to receive Christ… you all know the feeling…
Click to expand...
No, I don’t. I know I am not the only one who can go to confession and walk out not feeling any different! I have always felt like I forgot something. I can be moved to tears during Mass, especially during the Consecration, I can “feel” Jesus presence at Mass and in other places but never in Confession but I know in my head that He is there so I tell myself that even if I forgot something, He knows what it is and has erased it from my soul! I have also come to the conclusion that this is just one of my “crosses to bear” as I watch those around me obviously walking lighter and I still feel a heavy burden, I tell myself that feelings are not always real and go on from there.

There, I have that out because to me that is one of the myths of confession - that you will feel better after. It took me years to accept that not everyone does and that it is okay so I should go and not avoid it (not feeling better after must mean that I was doing something wrong so, why go if after years I haven’t figured out what it was I was doing wrong :p).

Brenda V.
 
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