Catholic Guilt

It's an American stereotype from what I can see.

And it's nothing to do with fear of hell.
It's more to do with Jesus' sacrifice/dying on the cross/etc. and that any Catholic who commits a sin *should* feel guilty because they're taking their Messiah's sacrifice for granted etc. etc.
In a different vein, it may also have to do with Original Sin, that we are all born from Sin and must repent and be saved.

It's a load of bollocks used to control the uneducated masses.

"Organised" religion is synonymous with organised crime and racketeering in my view, Catholicism and the other Christian-based religions are the worst for it (from my limited experience).

Go to mass, support your church, pay your dues, pay for the collection plate, pay for church ceremonies for christenings, baptisms, communion, confirmation, weddings, funderals.
The celibacy thing was another way to retain the church's wealth.
If a priest can't have any offspring/heirs, then the land/wealth that the priest controlled can't pass onto his/her children.
It's a money racket.


Hail Bon Jovi

SantaHoe wrote:

Then there's the whole issue of "original sin"... so really there's no way to avoid guilt is there?

Probably not and of course reinfroced by putting us in dark small spaces when we are six years of age with the word "mortal sin" pounding in your brain .
Most of Catholic teaching revolved the idea of the catechism and of course the Ten commandments. Confession encourages guilt.
The use of good and bad by the Catholic church is also quite brilliant. Good was not necessarily good and bad was really the only natural state for all of us until it turned to good. The most fondly told parable in my recollection was the "The Prodigal Son".
Guilt Reinforcement par excellence.

keu wrote:

are you like over the age of fifty and living in the stix?
I never heard of mortal sin til I was in my late teens. (not through schooling either)..and as for original sin, only ever heard about in movies like the magdeline sisters.

Nope, just read a bit , watched the movies. As for mortal sin try reading "The First Confession" by Frank O'Connor, great story and all the guilt you want in there