Guilt is a tricky thing. On one hand, that little nagging from the conscious can be helpful to point us in the right direction. But it can also run rampant and become crippling. It can get in the way of receiving God's (and others') grace, redemption and forgiveness.The problem with guilt is that it causes us to focus on receiving absolution and acceptance, rather than motivating us to change our beliefs and challenge the status quo. It's often easier to feel guilty than forgiven. It's also often easier to feel guilty than to change.
White guilt profoundly affects our relationships across race. It is much easier to pull away. Guilt makes the situation all about US. How bad WE feel, how WE are different from the 'true' racists. We become obsessed with proving that WE are the 'good' kind of white people and how much WE know better.
Guilt can hinder relationships between the privileged and the marginalized. We fixate on the divides between us. Relationship becomes one sided--all about the 'we' helping 'them.' This is false charity, not the solidarity that is really needed.
But God has more for us in our relationships than our guilt. God's redemption is offered to all so that we may live as 'redeemed privileged people.' We must redirect our guilt into conviction that will motivate us to action. Maybe small actions, one step at a time, but action nonetheless. We move forward rather than letting our shame paralyze us.
In the end, we have to work to get over our natural desires to remove ourselves from uncomfortable situations. If we step out on faith and embrace the opportunity that discomfort provides, a deeper community emerges on the other side.
So, does guilt have a role at all in society where not all members are followers of Christ?
ReplyDeleteCan it not be used as a stepping stone to take people out of a comfort zone to which they are so attached?
Certainly, I think non-Christians can and do experience guilt and conviction. And I am sure both can in turn sure paralysis and action, respectively. If the reaction to that tug of the conscience is motivating, than it can be a great impetuous for change. People, just don't always react to guilt that way, unfortunately. It is the withdraw response that is so damaging to progress.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I directly addressed what you are saying...
PS. My semantic distinction between guilt and conviction is not necessarily an official one. I am just trying to somehow distinguish between the negative (condemning, paralyzing) and positive (edifying, motivating)kinds of guilt.
But what if the majority of our guilt stems from the church? You talk about Guilt in racial and economic terms... and cite God as a salve to ease the guilt, but I find that religion brings on more anguish and suffering than it does easement.
ReplyDeleteThis is because of the unrealistic expectations that the church puts upon humans in order to gain salvation. I feel bad because I cannot achieve all that God (as interpreted by the church) wants me to achieve. Pre-marital sex and Gay rights... Let's just say a plethora of modern advances have been severely discouraged by the Church, which causes automatic conflict. Do you deny yourselves peer support and social acceptance by the majority of the public or do you seclude yourself to a rigid way of life
that denies you something that is natural... biological even.
I do agree that as being a privileged and light human, there are times when I feel bad for things that I cannot change: color and economic status. And it does take time and education to retrain yourself away from feeling sorry for winning a genetic lottery.
However, I question why I should look to God when the church (a supposed instrument, megaphone, translator for God's will and word) is the primary source of this pain?
So very true! One of the many problems that the church adds to the equation is the guilt it heaps on. It can be incredibly counterproductive. The whole 'fire and brimstone', 'repent of your mortal sins' thing never really jived for me with the Jesus I read about in the bible. The church is supposed to represent Christ on earth, but it often does a pretty poor job of it (for some more of the church's sins see comments at http://bytheirstrangefruit.blogspot.com/2010/08/representatives-of-christ.html and http://bytheirstrangefruit.blogspot.com/2010/08/stuff-church-people-do.html).
ReplyDeleteThe bible is clear that we cannot ever earn our way to heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9 etc), so for the church to suggest that one can 'be just right', or 'do just right', is silly and impractical. The free outpouring of God's love is the big marvelous thing that Christianity has to offer, and to suppose that you have to be a certain way, cheapens the gift and misses the point. The Church is missing out on a lot of really amazing people due to its own sins of bigotry-- shameful representation of what God would really have for us.
It is true that my behavior changed as a result of my friendship with God--not as a condition of my salvation, but as a response to the relationship. Just like any relationship I have, I am changed by the interaction, with any luck always for the better. But it is the miracle of Christ that says I can be exactly as I am and still be invited into that bond. That's the whole point of what Jesus did! *shakes my head* I wish Christians would stop confusing the issue.
Does all guilt originate with the Church? Maybe, I doubt it. We're good at it, but a lot of other cultures have mastered the guilt-trip as well. I know plenty of atheists in my life that have felt guilt unrelated to the church (though maybe it stemmed from there originally??-- I have found that many who blame the church for the origins of guilt, balk at the suggestion that the Church also planted the seeds of morality. I tend to think both morality and guilt develop together, but that they do not require a specific religion to become ingrained in a society).
Regardless of where these things originate, they are powerful motivators, whether or not a priest is looming over your shoulder. As for guilt being the motivator, I argue that it often is, but that it shouldn't be. I think better results come when compassion and friendship are the motivators.
You bring up loosing social acceptance as a consequence of one's becoming a christian. This stigma can be a major issue for me in my line of work. Christianity is such a paradox because, on the one hand, religious conservatism is rampant and super popular in the USA, yet I can feel quite scorned and mocked in my faith sometimes. How weird to be both the majority and minority culture at the same time!
Ps. I should also note that this dichotomy between what the church aught to be and how it actually treats people is the basis for this blog's title, 'By Their Strange Fruit.'
ReplyDeleteIt references Billy Holiday's iconic song Strange Fruit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXdnD39GYVU), in conjunction with Christ's reminder that the world will know us by our fruits (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:16-20&version=KJV). Sometimes the Church bears strange fruit indeed...
Ps. I should also note that this dichotomy between what the church aught to be and how it actually treats people is the basis for this blog's title, 'By Their Strange Fruit.'
ReplyDeleteIt references Billy Holiday's iconic song Strange Fruit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXdnD39GYVU), in conjunction with Christ's reminder that the world will know us by our fruits (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:16-20&version=KJV). Sometimes the Church bears strange fruit indeed...
So very true! One of the many problems that the church adds to the equation is the guilt it heaps on. It can be incredibly counterproductive. The whole 'fire and brimstone', 'repent of your mortal sins' thing never really jived for me with the Jesus I read about in the bible. The church is supposed to represent Christ on earth, but it often does a pretty poor job of it (for some more of the church's sins see comments at http://bytheirstrangefruit.blogspot.com/2010/08/representatives-of-christ.html and http://bytheirstrangefruit.blogspot.com/2010/08/stuff-church-people-do.html).
ReplyDeleteThe bible is clear that we cannot ever earn our way to heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9 etc), so for the church to suggest that one can 'be just right', or 'do just right', is silly and impractical. The free outpouring of God's love is the big marvelous thing that Christianity has to offer, and to suppose that you have to be a certain way, cheapens the gift and misses the point. The Church is missing out on a lot of really amazing people due to its own sins of bigotry-- shameful representation of what God would really have for us.
It is true that my behavior changed as a result of my friendship with God--not as a condition of my salvation, but as a response to the relationship. Just like any relationship I have, I am changed by the interaction, with any luck always for the better. But it is the miracle of Christ that says I can be exactly as I am and still be invited into that bond. That's the whole point of what Jesus did! *shakes my head* I wish Christians would stop confusing the issue.
Does all guilt originate with the Church? Maybe, I doubt it. We're good at it, but a lot of other cultures have mastered the guilt-trip as well. I know plenty of atheists in my life that have felt guilt unrelated to the church (though maybe it stemmed from there originally??-- I have found that many who blame the church for the origins of guilt, balk at the suggestion that the Church also planted the seeds of morality. I tend to think both morality and guilt develop together, but that they do not require a specific religion to become ingrained in a society).
Regardless of where these things originate, they are powerful motivators, whether or not a priest is looming over your shoulder. As for guilt being the motivator, I argue that it often is, but that it shouldn't be. I think better results come when compassion and friendship are the motivators.
You bring up loosing social acceptance as a consequence of one's becoming a christian. This stigma can be a major issue for me in my line of work. Christianity is such a paradox because, on the one hand, religious conservatism is rampant and super popular in the USA, yet I can feel quite scorned and mocked in my faith sometimes. How weird to be both the majority and minority culture at the same time!
Certainly, I think non-Christians can and do experience guilt and conviction. And I am sure both can in turn sure paralysis and action, respectively. If the reaction to that tug of the conscience is motivating, than it can be a great impetuous for change. People, just don't always react to guilt that way, unfortunately. It is the withdraw response that is so damaging to progress.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I directly addressed what you are saying...
PS. My semantic distinction between guilt and conviction is not necessarily an official one. I am just trying to somehow distinguish between the negative (condemning, paralyzing) and positive (edifying, motivating)kinds of guilt.
So very true! One of the many problems that the church adds to the equation is the guilt it heaps on. It can be incredibly counterproductive. The whole 'fire and brimstone', 'repent of your mortal sins' thing never really jived for me with the Jesus I read about in the bible. The church is supposed to represent Christ on earth, but it often does a pretty poor job of it (for some more of the church's sins see comments at http://bytheirstrangefruit.blo... and http://bytheirstrangefruit.blo...
ReplyDeleteThe bible is clear that we cannot ever earn our way to heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9 etc), so for the church to suggest that one can 'be just right', or 'do just right', is silly and impractical. The free outpouring of God's love is the big marvelous thing that Christianity has to offer, and to suppose that you have to be a certain way, cheapens the gift and misses the point. The Church is missing out on a lot of really amazing people due to its own sins of bigotry-- shameful representation of what God would really have for us.
It is true that my behavior changed as a result of my friendship with God--not as a condition of my salvation, but as a response to the relationship. Just like any relationship I have, I am changed by the interaction, with any luck always for the better. But it is the miracle of Christ that says I can be exactly as I am and still be invited into that bond. That's the whole point of what Jesus did! *shakes my head* I wish Christians would stop confusing the issue.
Does all guilt originate with the Church? Maybe, I doubt it. We're good at it, but a lot of other cultures have mastered the guilt-trip as well. I know plenty of atheists in my life that have felt guilt unrelated to the church (though maybe it stemmed from there originally??-- I have found that many who blame the church for the origins of guilt, balk at the suggestion that the Church also planted the seeds of morality. I tend to think both morality and guilt develop together, but that they do not require a specific religion to become ingrained in a society).
Regardless of where these things originate, they are powerful motivators, whether or not a priest is looming over your shoulder. As for guilt being the motivator, I argue that it often is, but that it shouldn't be. I think better results come when compassion and friendship are the motivators.
You bring up loosing social acceptance as a consequence of one's becoming a christian. This stigma can be a major issue for me in my line of work. Christianity is such a paradox because, on the one hand, religious conservatism is rampant and super popular in the USA, yet I can feel quite scorned and mocked in my faith sometimes. How weird to be both the majority and minority culture at the same time!
Just saw this montage video that addresses my point about 'white guilt redemption' movies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWSiztP2Rp0&feature=player_embedded
ReplyDeleteCertainly, I think non-Christians can and do experience guilt and conviction. And I am sure both can in turn sure paralysis and action, respectively. If the reaction to that tug of the conscience is motivating, than it can be a great impetuous for change. People, just don't always react to guilt that way, unfortunately. It is the withdraw response that is so damaging to progress.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I directly addressed what you are saying...
PS. My semantic distinction between guilt and conviction is not necessarily an official one. I am just trying to somehow distinguish between the negative (condemning, paralyzing) and positive (edifying, motivating)kinds of guilt.
Nevertheless, I have a hard time lamenting a bad test grade to someone that is losing a house, or a job, or a child. How does one share excitement over an upcoming vacation, when the other person can't afford food? True, there is a time and a place to bring these things up, but if I always withhold sharing about my life's ups and downs, I am withholding my friendship. How do we expect to love one another if the vulnerability is one sided? Guilt about my privilege perpetuates the broken relationship.
ReplyDelete