Confession

Note: this reference deals with confession between two or more people, not private confession between yourself and the God of your belief.

Confession

Question: Can you comment on the relevancy of any of the confessional styles of dealing with remorse and guilt. Some of us have been through 12-step programs, which instruct us to examine ourselves and admit the exact nature of or sins to God, ourselves, and another human being and humbly ask for forgiveness. That's also the style of the psychotherapeutic technique that's currently used. I have to admit it - it seemed at the time I went through it that it was very helpful to me, although maybe primitive compared to other techniques. 

Answer: It is a useful emotional and psychological technique to be self-reflective and aware of one's life-actions in a spiritual light. It often helps one to recognize patterns of negativity and areas that need improvement. It is also emotionally a release from the past-guilt cleansing - to discuss this with another human who is non-judgmental and unconditionally accepting - loving of the present self. Confession is a more psychological tool than spiritual. Confession is not part of prayer, it is not a spiritually pure tool, but it does lead to more spiritual growth. It is not harmful, it is helpful for the human psyche and often leads to great periods of spiritual growth, but it is not a purely spiritual tool in and of itself.