Do any Catholics here go to confession very often? How do you feel about it? What do you confess?

I came to the realization that most of my confessions thus far have been not full and not good. But I do find in rewarding and a relief to tell my sins to a priest, have him be understanding and give me advice, and be forgiven.

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

Do any Catholics here go to confession very often? How do you feel about it? What do you confess?

I came to the realization that most of my confessions thus far have been not full and not good. But I do find in rewarding and a relief to tell my sins to a priest, have him be understanding and give me advice, and be forgiven.

It is a good thing to confess your sins before man. But you don't need to go to a priest, you need to go to God. A good priest will point to God.

quote:Originally posted by hyroglyphx:

It is a good thing to confess your sins before man. But you don't need to go to a priest, you need to go to God. A good priest will point to God.



True. In the Catholic tradition confession to a priest is a reconciliation with the community, not with God.

it's mandatory to attend at least once a year. if you don't feel sorry for it, then don't confess it, because God, (who is working throught the priest), will only forgive you for the sins which you truly repent.

also, reparation can help. Google on Our Lady of Fatima, for more information on reparation.

there's perfect contrition and imperfect contrition

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

there's perfect contrition and imperfect contrition

You want to be forgiven, pray in Jesus name to God. God's inspired word says COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE ROOM OF GRACE TO OBTAIN MERCY. You come boldly because JESUS is the MEDIATOR between man and God, and you need to just Picture Jesus walking you up to God's throne and you asking for forgiveness, in Jesus name, to obtain mercy. You don't need anyone else to know about your past, let God know and ask him for forgiveness, as soon as you do that, you're forgiven and it's forgotten about.

It is esponged from your record, and can not be used against you, because after your sin is confessed and forgiven in Jesus name, It's gone. It's washed with the blood, and it's like it never happened.

The first thing the Devil's going to try to get you to do is condemn yourself, and you just know the Devil's a liar. You say, "It is written, there is no condemnation to them that be in Christ (Romans 8:1). You're going to have to forgive yourself too, because holding ought against yourself is a sin. I learned that the hard way about 4 months ago. I was wondering, "God, WHY can I not feel what I felt." God showed me, I had gotten over into sin, through condemnation by the Devil, and I needed to forgive myself, and stand on God's WORD.

Love you brother.

the Bible says confess your sins to men

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

the Bible says confess your sins to men



To elders, to hold you accountable and make sure you don't go back to your sin. I had to do that, when I got engaged in a relationship with a man 30 years older than myself.

Jesus gave the disciples authority to forgive or not forgive sins. Why would he give the authority to someone else if He prefered you repent to Him?

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

Jesus gave the disciples authority to forgive or not forgive sins. Why would he give the authority to someone else if He prefered you repent to Him?

Uh uh. Man can forgive one another, because Jesus forgave them, but Jesus did not give man the authority to save souls.

JESUS IS FUCKING DEAD

Matthew 16:18

And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, 13 and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

19

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. 14 Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

Matthew 18:18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

John 20:23 "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

Matthew 16:18

And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, 13 and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

19

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. 14 Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

Matthew 18:18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

John 20:23 "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."

John 20:22-23

And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit!

[Now having received the Holy Spirit, and being led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.

Well, Let's take this into context. First of all, you can't take one scripture and form a doctrine out of it. You can't. You have to take it into context.

In 22 They receive the HOLY SPIRIT.



Retain-To keep or hold in a particular place, condition, or position.

Where is it retained? In the Holy Spirit. Did not Jesus tell them to forgive those who sin against them? He absolutely did! Does not the inspired Word of God say, DON'T MOURN/GRIEVE the Holy Spirit? It absolutely does.

[This message has been edited by HellzShellz (edited 11-16-2005).]

What are you talking about? Jesus gave them authority. And that authority comes from His giving them the Holy Spirit. It says pretty clearly in several different places whatever the Apostles bind/loose, forgive/don't forgive goes.

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

What are you talking about? Jesus gave them authority. And that authority comes from His giving them the Holy Spirit. It says pretty clearly in several different places whatever the Apostles bind/loose, forgive/don't forgive goes.

OMGoodness, you have a religious spirit. Not cool!

First of all, Lest take "bind and loose" into context. Let's travel back to Elisha, who prayed for 3 1/2 years to BIND THE SPIRIT that stirred up rain, and it ceased to rain on this earth until he prayed fervently again, and LOOSED it. Jesus said pretty clearly, IF YOU DON'T FORGIVE YOU WON'T BE FORGIVEN. Jesus said pretty clearly DO NOT MOURN THE SPIRIT!! DO NOT GRIEVE THE SPIRIT!! Why don't you get this? If you don't forgive your brother, you'll not be forgiven, you can CHOOSE not to, but then you mourn the spirit and cross over into sin.

Wow. This is NOT cool. I'm serious. I'm so tired of religious attitudes. You can't say, "Here's what is says here." Then go over and say, "Here's what it says here." You have to TAKE THE WHOLE WORD OF GOD, then rightly divide it. Not take piece by piece and think you got it.

What you're saying, is because God gave us the Holy Spirit, he didn't mean that we REALLY have to forgive our brother who sins against us 7 time 70 times in a day for the same sin. The whole Word is truth, therefore you're not going to find contradiction in the Word of God, if you rightly divide it.

We do have to forgive one another, and going to a priest may help. If what you have done has hurt others, you must also ask them for their forgiveness. But ultimately your sins are between you and God, and having Him forgive you is what is ultimately important.

Edit: also, to the above post:

I agree with you, once cannot take specific passeges and such from the Bible and use those alone. That is exactly what people do that are trying to discredit it.

[This message has been edited by chubbyman25 (edited 11-16-2005).]

You can't ignore certain passages. I didn't ignore anything and you are. You are ignoring the passage where it says Jesus gives the Apostles authority to forgive or not forgive sins. Who isn't looking at the Bible as a whole?

You have to forgive others to be forgiven- yes, but how does this mean that the above verse don't apply?

Also, I think its funny when Christians say they're not religious. Stop playing semantics.

quote:Originally posted by chubbyman25:



Edit: also, to the above post:

I agree with you, once cannot take specific passeges and such from the Bible and use those alone. That is exactly what people do that are trying to discredit it.





[This message has been edited by HellzShellz (edited 11-17-2005).]

you can argue until the end of days about what scripture references pertain to what, and so on and so forth. but for those of us who have honestly and earnestly repented sins before a priest, in the sacrament of reconciliation, and have FELT the Grace which it brings. I'm being totally honest with you all when I say I have NEVER felt anything like that sensation before in my life. That's proof enough for me. For those of you who are still unconvinced, I urge you to try it at least once. Just make sure that what you are repenting are sins which you are TRULY sorry for, and that you understand that forgiveness, in Christ's mercy, is the only way back to his Path, the only way to reconcile and move onwards. The sacrament of penance is there because man is not perfect, we WILL make errors of judgment, and on occasion succumb to temptation - but we also grow, and move on, and change our ways. We LEARN from our mistakes, that's how we grow as human beings.

^^

Word

He's right, this sacrament..you feel it..And when you have to examine your conscience to make a good confession, you know yourself and where you stand in relation to God so much better, and it takes humility and strength to go confess your sins

Check it. I don't have to go to a priest to feel it. I walk after the Spirit, I seek Him day and night. I feel his grace every morning and through-out the day. No priest can give me what Just Christ can't. I promise, Jesus gives and offers much much more.

Jesus became MY HIGH PRIEST. I go to the Throne room of grace BOLDLY, because it's Jesus who leads me in.

quote:Originally posted by HellzShellz:

Check it. I don't have to go to a priest to feel it. I walk after the Spirit, I seek Him day and night. I feel his grace every morning and through-out the day. No priest can give me what Just Christ can't. I promise, Jesus gives and offers much much more.

Jesus became MY HIGH PRIEST. I go to the Throne room of grace BOLDLY, because it's Jesus who leads me in.



What you are saying is right, to a degree, and I see your point. But Christ put people in authority for a reason. I can't go out tomorrow, and found my own church, call it a Christian church, and expect it to actually be a church in His divine sight. Because He hasn't called upon me to do so, I would be acting alone. Do you see what I'm saying?

quote:Originally posted by HellzShellz:

Check it. I don't have to go to a priest to feel it. I walk after the Spirit, I seek Him day and night. I feel his grace every morning and through-out the day. No priest can give me what Just Christ can't. I promise, Jesus gives and offers much much more.

Jesus became MY HIGH PRIEST. I go to the Throne room of grace BOLDLY, because it's Jesus who leads me in.



so tell me why verses i quoted are void

Because they don't support shelly's position.

lol

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

Do any Catholics here go to confession very often? How do you feel about it? What do you confess?

1) Not since I was 15.

2) Waste of time.

3) Minor, meaningless bullshit - stuff I knew that the priest would probably be unable to masturbate to later that evening.

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

I came to the realization that most of my confessions thus far have been not full and not good.

All good Catholics live in a permanment state of undefinable guilt. It's a trick early christian clergy took from their jewish predecessors. Very effective at keeping the lay people hooked.

quote:Originally posted by Zman:

But I do find in rewarding and a relief to tell my sins to a priest, have him be understanding and give me advice, and be forgiven.

Of course you do, if you've been brainwashed in the Catholic tradition this should be a reflexive response.

Do you actually believe all the hocus-pocus of the catholic faith or do you just find it emotionally convenient to go with the flow?

Hocus-pokus?

I don't think I've been brainwashed. Converting from Protestantism, my decision was pretty lucid.

Lucid is a relative term, as you were already coming into Catholicism from a Christian background it is highly likely that you, or anyone else from a similar background, would be far more receptive to it than an atheist or Non-Christian.

What made you change?

i was arguing back and forth with a muslim through email, for several months. It would've been impossible to argue against Islam with Protestant theology. You have to go to Catholicism. So when I started learning about it, it made a lot of sense.

quote:Originally posted by trichocereus pachanoi:

you can argue until the end of days about what scripture references pertain to what, and so on and so forth. but for those of us who have honestly and earnestly repented sins before a priest, in the sacrament of reconciliation, and have FELT the Grace which it brings. I'm being totally honest with you all when I say I have NEVER felt anything like that sensation before in my life.

Even though I'm an atheist now, I agree with you.

Confessing to the priest was a big relief.

Being told to confess to God seems to be an excuse for clergy not to have to listen to people's problems.

I hate all evangelical Christians because their kids invite me to their church for youth groups all the time, and then keep insisting that I go with them.

And then they come to my door and give me a flyer telling me that if I don't go to their mega-church, I'm going to burn in Hell.

And then they give me Halloween candy advertising for Christianity.

Catholicism never treated me like this, and I've never seen it treat other people like that (in the time that I have been alive).

And that whole "you must accept Jesus as your PERSONAL savior" always has made me think "WTF".

There's this virtue called prudence that isn't part of protestant culture nowadays.

A lot of them don't know when to stop.