Shame On You
Why does biblical religion make us feel so guilty?
By Emma Goshin, Culture Staff Writer
In the famous satirical comedy “30 Rock,” characters are behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show, making light-hearted jokes to get a laugh out of the audience (Fey et al., 2007). In one particular episode, Tracy Jordan (played by Tracy Morgan) explains to Jack Donaghy (played by Alec Baldwin) that he is converting to Catholicism because of a loophole for sinning. Jordan claims that if you confess to all of your sins, you are off the hook from punishment. Donaghy tells him this is not the case, “There’s no free pass because there is a crushing guilt that comes with being a Catholic. Whether things are good or bad or you’re simply eating tacos in the park, there is always a crushing guilt.” Though this scene seems light-hearted, it holds a deeper meaning in that it relates to the feeling of religious shame that people feel because of how their religion may dictate certain actions as wrong or sinful.
Scrupulosity is defined as a psychological disorder primarily characterized by pathological guilt or obsession associated with moral or religious issues (Miller & Hedges, 2007). Guilt is not a dismissible feeling, it can overtake your mind and threaten mental health. Addressing where this guilt comes from is vital to work out what actions we can take to stop it.
Catholic guilt is a prevalent subject when it comes to biblical religion and how it makes observers feel more shameful of wrongdoings. One of the more surface-level feelings of guilt for many Catholic people is only going to church on Easter and Christmas and being labeled as a “Holiday Catholic” (Burgess, 2021). Being shamed by other people for a choice to go or not to go to church on various occasions makes people feel uncomfortable.
Another piece of Catholic guilt commonly addressed is the black and white nature of Heaven and Hell. It leaves little gray area, and many people feel that if they mess up or sin, they will be prevented from making it to heaven. This can be extremely debilitating for people who strongly believe in the afterlife. Additionally, it is frustrating for people who feel that if you do not do what is seen as “good” and “just” according to the church, you are a bad person and will spend eternity in hell.
A third, and perhaps most prominent issue that involves Catholic guilt, is sex. The Bible states that sex before marriage is immoral (100 Bible Verses About Sex Before Marriage, n.d.). This makes people feel guilty if they choose to have sex. Homophobia in the church is also pushed through the idea that sex should be between a man and a woman. This has allowed generations of Catholic people to justify homophobia in their own minds (Between man and woman, n.d.).
Most people immediately think of Catholic guilt when discussing religion and guilt, but other religions such as Judaism have a strong emphasis on guilt. One of the most prominent Jewish stereotypes is the Jewish mother. This woman is said to be nagging, smothering and manipulative. They interfere with their children’s lives. However, this trope does have some historical roots. From 1881 to 1924, there was a huge wave of immigration of Eastern European Jews to the U.S (Dein, 2013). Being an immigrant adds an extra challenge in terms of making money and establishing yourself in a country you are not originally from. Hard work was important to the Jewish immigrants, and these parents worked extra hard so their children could have what they did not. This could create the feeling of imposter-syndrome for the children of these immigrants, having grown up in the U.S. and avoiding the hard transition of moving to another country.
The second aspect of Jewish guilt includes being a survivor of the Holocaust. Many people who suffered months or years in concentration camps and survived feel guilty to this day. Survivors’ guilt occurs when someone experiences emotional stress because they have survived an incident and others did not (Oxford languages and google). Though the Holocaust occurred many decades ago, survivors who are still alive today to speak about their experiences often feel undeserving (Ruth, 1970). This can be extremely draining to those who are trying to move forward from such a dark time.
Jewish guilt does stem from religious teachings. Judaism teaches that when we harm others, we have to take responsibility and ask for forgiveness (My Jewish Learning, 2017). Additionally, teshuvah, or repentance, is a huge part of forgiveness. The process includes three states: confession, regret and a promise not to repeat the harm. Teshuvah can be done at any time but is especially important during Yom Kippur, or the Jewish day of atonement.
A prominent difference between Jewish and Catholic guilt is that Catholic guilt is often tied to the actual biblical religion, whereas Jewish guilt relates more towards the culture and history of its people. However, many people are neither Catholic nor Jewish, and guilt is discussed very differently.
Buddhists have an alternate outlook on guilt. Buddhism discourages people from dwelling on the past and instead points to peace of mind in the present (The guilt spiral. you've been there, but you don't have to stay there, 2021). This outlook can protect mental health by allowing people to live in the moment instead of stressing over how individual actions impact their status as religious humans.
The purpose of religion varies greatly from person to person. In some cases, it gives people an objective to work towards and facilitates fulfillment and joy. However, the common idea of avoiding sins in order to be admitted to Heaven makes believers in biblical religion subject to paralyzing guilt when they think they have committed a sin. If you believe so strongly in all aspects of your religion including God or gods, the afterlife and religious leaders, it can be really challenging not to feel guilty when you feel like you’ve sinned. This type of guilt can damage one's mental health.
Unhealthy guilt occurs when feelings of emotional distress cannot be tied to specific instances and the feeling does not motivate you to take action.
While the feeling of guilt has a typically negative connotation, emotional distress can sometimes be healthy. The feeling of guilt tells us that actions need to be taken in order to eliminate that distress (Shame on You: The Challenge of Religious Guilt, 2018). Being able to tie the feeling of guilt to something tangible and changeable is extremely important. Occasionally guilt is a healthy fear.
While we cannot always prevent guilt as a direct result of religion, we can stop listening to those who actually make us feel guilty about decisions we make. Judgment from other people can easily make us feel guilty. It is extremely important not to let others diminish our confidence so that we can practice our faith in the way that is best for us, our values and our mental health.
Sources:
100 Bible verses about sex before marriage. What Does the Bible Say About Sex Before Marriage? (n.d.).
Between man and woman. For Your Marriage. (n.d.).
Burgess, M. (2021, January 20). Catholic guilt is complicated. Lithium Magazine.
Dein, S. (2013, April 16). The origins of Jewish guilt: Psychological, theological, and Cultural Perspectives. Journal of spirituality in mental health.
Fey, T. (Writer), Burditt, J. (Writer), & Gordon, D. (Director). (2007, March 8). The Fighting Irish (Season 1, Episode 17) [TV series episode]. 30 Rock. Broadway Video.
Miller, C. H., & Hedges, D. W. (2007, November 21). Scrupulosity disorder: An overview and introductory analysis. Journal of anxiety disorders.
My Jewish Learning. (2017, November 30). Teshuvah, or repentance. My Jewish Learning.
Oxford languages and google - english. Oxford Languages. (n.d.).
Ruth Jaffe. (1970). The Sense of Guilt within Holocaust Survivors. Jewish Social Studies, 32(4), 307–314.
The guilt spiral. you've been there, but you don't have to stay there. (2021, July 15). buddhability.
Shame on You: The Challenge of Religious Guilt. (2018, May 24). Psych Central.