We had confessionals, but only the adults used those. We sat in folding chairs across fromt the priest, who was never any that I got along with, but always one of the old geezers who just sat there and waited for you to talk. Yuck.

It is no longer confessional in the sense that I am not ashamed of anything I write down in my blog. But I might be ashamed of what I confide in a priest, best friend, or family member, because in all probability I will tell them the truth unembellished.

I do agree though about there being a danger in this sort of thing within groups where once they know everything about your life, they know what buttons to push to keep you inline.

Religious cults use confession of sins as emotional blackmail. The International Church of Christ, among others, advocates confessing your deepest darkest sins to the church elders, right before they pull out the Money Vac and suck up the contents of your wallet.

Yes, confessing is liberating, but it also makes a person vulnerable and susceptible to manipulation.

I’m not inferring that anyone on this board would use a “Confession Booth” program illicitly… but then again, we’re only human. Tread lightly in this area, if you must.

Or even better yet: “Forgive us our trespasses”

I can’t remember if this is real or not, but I feel like there’s some near-futuristic movie where they have sort of like electronic booths on the street where you can go and take confession at. Is that in Blade Runner?

Another thing that I was reminded of while reading this: supposedly, one of the things they do in the Skull & Bones initiation ritual is like (I heard, who knows if its true), they have to tell each other all their sexual histories (quite possibly while masturbating in a coffin). Now, that might be kind of extreme, but I think the same basic premise could really work.

If nothing else, I should set up a blog or forum in the Pop Occulture Network where I collect accounts of people’s sins. Seems like that would be totally awesome. Actually, I think I’ll do that! More on that to follow. What’s a good name for it?

I think you’re right on Tim. We SHOULD confess “our sins”, and not necessarily to priests but instead with eachother (I guess priests are people too).

What I’m thinking is something like grouphug.us ?

Confession is not only good for the person revealing all their sins, but also for the people who actually witness people revealing something secret and embarrassing and flawed in their character.

Whenever I hear someone tell me something private that’s been bugging them it makes ME feel liberated. Not because I feel like I’m better than them, but because it starts to feel easier for me to let go of all the things I have guilt about. There is a lot of weight from feeling that you have done somethign that no one else would ever do, and if anyone found out you’d be ostracized.

Confession is one way out. There is something really free-ing about sharing secrets. Something really intimate about learning your new roommate also got caught masturbating by his grandma.

Did I ever tell you my idea for a “Confession Booth” chat program?

Basically, all users start out as “sinners” and they
have to confess secrets to strangers who are “priests” (premium accounts).

If you admit a juicy enough piece of dirt, the priest can confer upon you an
“indulgence”. After so many indulgences - say five good secrets (and five good indulgences) you are upgraded to priest for a time being, so you can listen to other people’s bad behavior.

It sounds like heaven to me, but shit, I’m a gossip queen.

If people want to beat up on themselves in the confession box as a reminder of their own imperfection, that’s up to them, but personally the thought that God already knows my sins would be enough for me…

The young monk is attracted to her, and he says, “I’ll take you on my shoulders and carry you across the river and drop you off on the other side.” He does that, and the two monks continue on their pilgrimage until after a while the old monk starts to have a frown on his face.

He’s upset. Six hours, seven hours go by, and finally he looks at the young one and says, “I can’t believe you did that.”

“Did what?” the young monk asks.

“You carried that woman on your shoulders.”

“I dropped her off six hours ago,” the young monk says, “but you’re still carrying her.”

Funny thing is, as a kid I thought confession was cooler because then you get forgiven at the end of the week, which (in my mind) meant you could sin away the first six days and then repent on the seventh. But as I talked to more Catholics, I began to realize that not everyone is as cavalier about confessing sins as I am, esp. if the sins are weighty and hard to reckon with.

In a way, Protestant Christianity has made repentance an easier ordeal, because Jesus already died for the sinner’s sin– all the sinner has to do is accept God or bow down to Christ. No ritual, no mandatory baptisms or communions… I mean, non-Catholic denoms still practice baptism and communion, but not with the Catholic fanfare and importance attached.

What’s harder– to accept God in a blanket fashion, or to accept that you are not perfect on a weekly basis in the confession box? I guess it is a matter of personal taste.