http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/.../Wiseman.asp#F3

Is Confession Based on the Bible?

Q: I cannot find anything in the Bible about Christians confessing to another human being, like a priest.

My understanding is that we are to confess our sins to Jesus and ask for his forgiveness, which he gives to those who are truly sorry.

Even though I was brought up Catholic, I haven’t gone to Confession in years because I do not believe in telling my sins to anyone, including a priest.

Why doesn’t the Catholic Church have open confession during weekly Masses?

A: The Sacrament of Penance has evolved over the years, always in harmony with its biblical roots.

After his Resurrection, Jesus told the apostles, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20:23).

The Letter of James says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful” (5:16).

Confessing one’s sins to someone designated by the Church reaffirms our belief that God can act through created things and through people. That belief helps us understand Jesus’ Incarnation and the sacraments.

During his earthly life, Jesus was a visible sign, a sacrament, of God’s love. After Jesus’ Ascension, the Church continues that sign, although imperfectly this side of heaven. The Sacrament of Penance flows from Jesus’ Incarnation and his followers’ sense of communion with God and each other.

“Open confession” may sound good, but would it be the personal encounter which the present practice offers?

At a time when we see a tremendous flight from personal responsibility, do we want personal repentance to become “...and for whatever I may have done wrong”?

You may not intend that, but I suspect that’s where the open confession you describe would probably lead.

Last August, approximately two million young people attended World Youth Day in Rome. Many of them went to individual confession in the Circus Maximus. Would they have had a stronger sense of God’s love for them as individuals if a priest or bishop had given general absolution instead? Probably not.

Confession has been the occasion for many people to appreciate how much God loves them and how much they have resisted that love.

Most parishes schedule a Penance service during Lent, with opportunity for individual confession. Why not participate in one of them?

"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" - because they said, "He has an unclean spirit." (Mark 3:28-30)

And just for the record, there is an unforgivable sin:

I was born and raised Catholic. I have studied the reasoning behind the Catholic doctrines and found some so offensive I left Catholicism for good. I would be happy to discuss in detail via PM, but I don't want to start a war in open forum. It is a very contentious issue.

And just for the record, there is an unforgivable sin:

All the depictions of confession to a Priest I see is "These are my sins" and then the priest says "You are forgiven for those sins" and they go back to doing whatever they want. Perhaps movies and media have ruined the true value behind Catholicism...I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

Before Confession

Be truly sorry for your sins. The essential act of Penance, on the part of the penitent, is contrition, a clear and decisive rejection of the sin committed, together with a resolution not to commit it again, out of the love one has for God and which is reborn with repentance. The resolution to avoid committing these sins in the future (amendment) is a sure sign that your sorrow is genuine and authentic. This does not mean that a promise never to fall again into sin is necessary. A resolution to try to avoid the near occasions of sin suffices for true repentance. God's grace in cooperation with the intention to rectify your life will give you the strength to resist and overcome temptation in the future.

G - I understand your position, but I politely disagree. This thought regarding the issue didn't exist previous to the enlightenment and is very much a humanistic way of thinking about it (not saying humanistic is negative per se, but it is opposed to religion in many ways...which I am sure you are aware of ).

dude, don't freaking cause problems.

What he said. The OP asked a very specific question regarding Catholic doctrine. If you're not a practicing Catholic, or you're Agnostic, Atheist, Pagan, whatever, just keep on trucking. Religious threads have enough contention without low-grade trollinium being added..

Do you believe that sins can only be confessed to a priest, or do you believe that sins can be confessed directly to God through Jesus' name?

The reason I ask is that there is a perception that if you don't get to a priest and confess everything, you are not forgiven for those sins until you get to a priest and confess them.

When you accept Salvation through Christ's death on the cross, I believe that all the sin past, present and future has been forgiven.

So all past sins, all sins you are presently committing and all future sins. As such, confession isn't asking for Christ to cover those sins (He already has on the cross), but rather acknowledging that you've committed those sins before God and asking for strength to avoid those sins in the future. I think that this is the most Biblically accurate view of the nature of sin and Salvation.

dude, don't freaking cause problems.

What he said. The OP asked a very specific question regarding Catholic doctrine. If you're not a practicing Catholic, or you're Agnostic, Atheist, Pagan, whatever, just keep on trucking. Religious threads have enough contention without low-grade trollinium being added..

This is a discussion. There is no thread on this forum that will be limited to people of a particular race, color, nationality, or religion. All are free to comment,

Ease up.



This is a discussion. There is no thread on this forum that will be limited to people of a particular race, color, nationality, or religion. All are free to comment, and if others disagree, then they are also free to do so as long as the rules of the forum are followed. We will not have members dictating who can or cannot speak on issues. If an issue is that sensitive, then the topic will be closed. We'll either allow all to comment, or none.