Confession: Does it Cleanse or Entice Sin?
Earth Talk: Confession: Does it Cleanse or Entice Sin?
One’s culture dictates how he/she perceives wrongdoing and the personal consequences of doing wrong. This in turn informs how an individual develops or refines his/her own character and quality for self-evolution. There is a stark contrast in how our Ancestors perceived wrongdo- ing and the consequences thereof versus those of societies premised on Christianity.
In the 12th Century, a Pope taking the name Innocent III would advocate for confession that would formalise and shape the practice for centuries to come. Confession is an admission or acknowledgement of a wrong that was committed by one who prefers to keep it secretive. In Catholicism, a confession is also called a sacrament of penance. In the sacrament of penance, there is a confession of sins committed post-Baptism and the understanding that God releases one of guilt or responsibility of those sins. The process of confession is administered by a Catholic minister. In Catholicism, there is the obligatory rite of confession once a year for serious sins committed. These practises are said to bring healing, absolve one of the wrong committed as well as regain the good graces of God. In other words, God will forgive the confessor for his sins once he confesses. According to the Catholic religion, the minister listening to the confession is acting as Christ or God and is empowered by the church to act in this position. Sins are placed in two categories: mortal and venial sins. Mortal sins are defined as very serious, grave wrongs committed while venial sins are more everyday faults. Examples of mortal sins include the following according to orthodox doctrine: murder, grand larceny, physical violence, and adultery as well as using condoms, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, masturbation, and indulging in impure thoughts...
The rationale is that when one sins there is a need to make things right. This is the Catholic’s way to access mercy and forgiveness. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “in imparting to his apostles his own power to forgive sins the Lord also gives them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church.” In the Catholic church, the confessor sees confession as a way to be assured that his sins are forgiven.
One can see in current times, with this notion of confession, a climate has developed of “mortal sins” being committed by the very ones acting as Christ or God himself - the minister. The plethora of news displayed around all regions of the world where Catholicism is practised, should not be understood as sudden or isolated. The development of sexual abuse in the church and particularly in the confessional context has its origins in the commencement of the confession itself- the medieval times.
In medieval times, the setting of the confession was the confessor at the feet of the minister expressing their sins and seeking pardon. A culture developed that had the confessors being quizzed rather than just listened to. Ministers conducted cross-examinations like criminal court especially in matters of a sexual nature. Masturbation was the single biggest infatuation within matters of confession. It was judged more severely than kidnapping and rape or adultery. Male confessors who did not confess to masturbation were cross- examined extensively and forced to repent.
An extensive culture of sexual abuse arose out of this practice, especially with the confessor at the feet of the minister who is all-powerful in this context, understood by the confessor to be holding his life and spiritual well-being in his hands.
In order to diminish the corruption being committed, the confessional box was introduced- the “dark box.” Though this was set to reduce the number of sexual abuses and manipulations, it continued nonetheless. Even with the dark box being outdated in many territories around the world, confessionals still take place in ministers’ private quarters, cells and various other settings. The practice of children making their first confession at the age of seven in preparation for their first communion continues to be upheld throughout the Catholic Church.
The abuse perpetrated on youth results in what psychologists in childhood trauma term, soul murder. Their self-worth, spiritual identity, salvation, healing, father figures, and role models are attached to this practice and the resulting trauma. How does one forget this and how does one become restored and made whole again? It is well-documented that attempted and successful suicides have been noted in large numbers as a result of sexual abuse in this context.
In 2010, the Catholic church in Germany set up a hot-line for victims of sexual abuse and their families to call in about incidents in churches and schools. Over 8,500 people called in. The expert responsible for analysing the results noted that the abusing priests used their moral authority and psychological positioning to manipulate and take advantage of children to the point that they told them the assaults were an expression of “God’s special love for them.”
Attacks occurring during confession included kissing, digital penetration of girls, and sodomy of boys, the use of confession to scout for victims; the asking of very intimate questions during confession and of using the confessional to learn people’s weaknesses; the practice of masturbating young confessors who were seated on the confessor’s lap; encouraging children to drink alcohol before, during and after confession; and showing children pornographic pictures in confession.
The belief in purgatory gave the church a lot of power– religious and financial. Well established by the end of the 12th century, the notion of purgatory was an intermediate afterlife, distinct from eternal damnation in hell or immediate entry into heaven for living a sinless life. This intermediate place involved suffering and the idea that you could pay and pray to reduce the suffering in the purgatory empowered the church and the ministers of the confessional.
KEMETIC PERSPECTIVE
The acknowledgement of having done wrong and the desire to be forgiven, in Kemetic culture, has a different place and different perspective. As a result, human corruption and sexual perversion have no place in this context. Human beings aren’t given the power to serve as a God while human beings are far too corrupt. Human beings are mortal, weak, corrupt, impure and the Gods share none of these attributes. Our Ancestors were clear about this and therefore the processes implemented and utilised for one’s spiritual evolution were particular and technical to suit the nature of a human being and those entities that influence, guide and have power over a human being’s life.
Ancestors are a principal component and proponent of a Kem person’s life. One is his/her Ancestors just in a different realm in time and space. If we take care of our Ancestors and they have what they need, they too can help, guide and provide us with what we need. They can advocate for us if we take care of them. This is the power that a human being carries in the trajectory of her own destiny.
Because of the control and power one’s Ancestors have in an individual’s life, they are the ones to speak to in expressing gratitude for what we have and the ones to speak to when we want a change in our circumstances too. They are the ones to cry to when wrongs have been done by us or to us. They have the capacity to bring about change. Most human beings can’t affect change in our lives but interestingly people talk and talk and talk to each other without receipt of solutions.
And what about this notion of forgiveness? Well in Kemetic spirituality one notion is clear: forgiveness doesn’t release an individual of the consequences they must face for the wrongs done nor does it make the wrong disappear. A human being’s actions and thoughts are recorded. All one’s behaviours are part of the history she writes for herself. The history will follow us to the world of the dead and our next life or reincarnation. The history one writes in life will influence our positioning once we transition and what we become next. A human being answers for both the good and bad committed in life.
This is not to say that if wrong is done one doesn’t ask for forgiveness from the one who was wronged. But even then, there is a plan for how one approaches and there are principles and customs in the process of asking for forgiveness. It requires that the one asking, demonstrate a great level of humility and thoughtfulness. On the human level, the best way to show forgiveness is by altering the behaviour that was wrong and doing right. But again, none of these demonstrations toward another human being subtract the wrong done. It is part of the history that follows a person to the grave and thereafter.
In Kemetic Society, this understanding of how one’s behaviour affects his life short and long term, produces a level of self-responsibility and commitment to being good. Kem people were obsessed with being good for the very reason that the moment to moment history one writes for himself follows him forever. A Kem is motivated to act righteously for self- preservation alone. The individual will do right for the preservation of one’s one integrity and life builds families and societies that take responsibility for each and every behaviour and resulting situation with a high level of dignity and care. It is the obsession of being good to preserve the self for this life and hereafter.
Knowing the weight that wrongdoing carries on a single spirit has resulted in religion manipulating and taking advantage of those it has defined as its subjects. In this practice, there has been a strong practice of showing no regard for one’s own history and self-evolution. In this context, to confess wrongdoing or a dark secret to another human being who the confessor likely doesn’t know, who will not present a solution for change or betterment, and who cannot himself affect change in your life, brings question to the value of the practice of confession in the “dark box.” Have you considered consulting with the mothers and fathers in your familial lines that are directly responsible for your life and your becoming?
