Is guilt constructive?

[thomfra]

How long should one feel guilty. Until god forgives us, or forever?

(Don’t confuse regret with guilt in your responses)

 

[jprioli]

How long should one feel guilty. Until god forgives us, or forever?

(Don’t confuse regret with guilt in your responses)

I was just re-reading Surprised By Truth 2, and I came across an neat similie that one of the contributors used: Guilt is like the nervous system (ie, pain receptors) of the soul. The “sensation” (or “feeling”) of guilt should remain as long as there is a reason to feel it, i.e., it alerts us that something is wrong… our conscience crying out.

It drives us to set things right.

(Note: this is not an authoritative answer; just something that might be helpful.)

Regards,
Joe

 

[thistle]

How long should one feel guilty. Until god forgives us, or forever?

(Don’t confuse regret with guilt in your responses)

When you have been to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and been absolved then your guilt is also gone.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

How long should one feel guilty. Until god forgives us, or forever?

(Don’t confuse regret with guilt in your responses)

Perhaps you should define the terms better, because guilt can mean regret by some definitions…

guilt:

1. the fact or state of having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, esp. against moral or penal law; culpability: He admitted his guilt.
2. a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or imagined.
3. conduct involving the commission of such crimes, wrongs, etc.: to live a life of guilt.

regret:
–verb (used with object)

1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.): He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.
2. to think of with a sense of loss: to regret one’s vanished youth.
   –noun
3. a sense of loss, disappointment, dissatisfaction, etc.
4. a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment, etc.
5. regrets, a polite, usually formal refusal of an invitation: I sent her my regrets.
6. a note expressing regret at one’s inability to accept an invitation: I have had four acceptances and one regret.

I think that feeling regret even after being forgiven in the sacrament of reconciliation can help keep us from repeating the sin. So in that sense it is constructive.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I heard a story where a Rabbi was at a inter-religious conference and he was speaking with a Catholic Priest, about guilt. He said,
“we Jews created the concept of guilt, but you Catholics have turned it into an art.”

I don’t know if the story is true or not, but it has some truth in it.

Jim

 

[Sarabande]

How long should one feel guilty. Until god forgives us, or forever?

(Don’t confuse regret with guilt in your responses)

I think it all really depends. I realize it is all semantics, but I don’t like the word “guilty” and prefer “remorseful”. In the little experience I’ve had, I’ve seen too many people become shadows of themselves by taking “guilt” to the extreme. They never get past the sins they had committed and are haunted and/or obsessed with it even after confessing or atoning for their wrongs. They don’t really grow and mature spiritually, becoming closed to the world and even to God without them knowing it. And they tend to always say they “feel so much guilt”. And sometimes, it makes a person fall back into the same sins. And for some reason, from what I’ve seen and experienced, the word “guilt” just tends to weigh heavy and and never lets one move on to a truly better spiritual life.

For me the word “remorse” makes it easier to eventually transcend past the wrongs which were made in our past. We are sincerely sorry and remorseful for our sins and want to make it right without it eating away at our souls and hearts. It doesn’t sit heavily on us and allows us to make a more pure change in life. It allows us to have an open heart to really hear or feel God forgive us and guide us to a higher spiritual path.

Anyway, they’re just my thoughts and feelings on the matter. I’m sure there are other opinions on it.