Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Shadowy Man · 11-14-2002, 07:32 AM

To those Christians and ex-Christians:

At what age did you start going to confessional? I was raised in a Jewish family, so I'm not familiar with those types of practices.

I remember when I was attending Hebrew school and Sunday school that the focus was on what Mitzvot (good deeds) that we had done that week, and not on the bad things we had done for which we needed to confess.

Godless Dave · 11-14-2002, 09:31 AM

As far as I know only Catholics go to confessional. Do Anglicans/Episcopalians confess?

My parents were nominally protestant so I've never set foot in a confessional. I've never been baptised either.

[ November 14, 2002: Message edited by: Godless Dave ]</p>

Biff the unclean · 11-14-2002, 09:47 AM

I think it's interesting that the idea that you had to confess all of your sins-not only of deed but also those of word and thought- came about while the church was an arm of the Imperial Roman government. When every priest was a state appointee.
Could any dictator ask for a sweeter deal than that?
Theodosius the Great decreed that everyone had to be a Christian or face charges of high treason--and every Christian had to confess to the state any misdeeds that they even thought about--YIKES!
Makes the KGB seem like rank amateurs.

Shadowy Man · 11-14-2002, 10:18 AM

Godless Dave:

Quote:

As far as I know only Catholics go to confessional. Do Anglicans/Episcopalians confess?

Oh. Ok. I don't know too much about all the different denominations of Christianity. They all sort of look the same to me.

I ate Pascal's Wafer · 11-14-2002, 10:25 AM

Well, I was a Catholic for awhile when I was younger and the only time I confessed was when I took the first communion thing and it was required. I don't think they let you confess before that, and many people I know don't bother doing it after that.

That said, Catholics start confessing when they take their first communion, probably around 10 or so years old (my memory is a bit hazy).

-Nick

Godless Dave · 11-14-2002, 10:44 AM

Shadowy Man, when I was a kid my best friend was Jewish. When his next door neighbor had his first communion party my friend asked me when I was having mine. I told him we weren't Catholic. It took a while to explain to him.

Carlos · 11-14-2002, 10:55 AM

I was also raised as a Catholic, and remember going to confession all of two or three times. The first was before first communion. Another time was at some religious retreat for teens.

It varies a good bit, depending on the individual in question as well as the local parish. When I lived with my American grandmother, she and my and greatgrandmother used to go fairly often, I think. The churches they attended were more traditional (pews, confessional booths, big organs) and formal (felt underdressed if you did not wear a tie). At those churches, one or more priests would usually man the confessionals starting a half hour/hour before the mass. At a different church, the traditions weren't followed so closely (no confessional booths, pews, church band instead of organ). I have no idea how anyone confessed there. Incidentally, this "modern" parish had much greater appeal, especially to the younger generations.

Vesica · 11-14-2002, 11:35 AM

Protestants don't go to confessional...that would be Anglicans, Epis., Baptists, Methodists, Prysb. etc etc.

Sephiroth · 11-14-2002, 11:39 AM

I went quite a bit when I was a pre-teen, don't remember the age I started though.

Vibr8gKiwi · 11-14-2002, 11:42 AM

Mormon kids start having "interviews with the Bishop" where they tell their sins at 8 years old (the age they are baptized).

11-14-2002, 07:32 AM	#1
Shadowy Man Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: A Shadowy Planet Posts: 7,585	When did you start confessing? To those Christians and ex-Christians: At what age did you start going to confessional? I was raised in a Jewish family, so I'm not familiar with those types of practices. I remember when I was attending Hebrew school and Sunday school that the focus was on what Mitzvot (good deeds) that we had done that week, and not on the bad things we had done for which we needed to confess.

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11-14-2002, 09:31 AM	#2
Godless Dave Contributor Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: With 10,000 lakes who needs a coast? Posts: 10,762	As far as I know only Catholics go to confessional. Do Anglicans/Episcopalians confess? My parents were nominally protestant so I've never set foot in a confessional. I've never been baptised either. [ November 14, 2002: Message edited by: Godless Dave ]</p>

11-14-2002, 09:47 AM	#3
Biff the unclean Banned Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: an inaccessible island fortress Posts: 10,638	I think it's interesting that the idea that you had to confess all of your sins-not only of deed but also those of word and thought- came about while the church was an arm of the Imperial Roman government. When every priest was a state appointee. Could any dictator ask for a sweeter deal than that? Theodosius the Great decreed that everyone had to be a Christian or face charges of high treason--and every Christian had to confess to the state any misdeeds that they even thought about--YIKES! Makes the KGB seem like rank amateurs.

11-14-2002, 10:25 AM	#5
I ate Pascal's Wafer Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 1,460	Well, I was a Catholic for awhile when I was younger and the only time I confessed was when I took the first communion thing and it was required. I don't think they let you confess before that, and many people I know don't bother doing it after that. That said, Catholics start confessing when they take their first communion, probably around 10 or so years old (my memory is a bit hazy). -Nick

11-14-2002, 10:44 AM	#6
Godless Dave Contributor Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: With 10,000 lakes who needs a coast? Posts: 10,762	Shadowy Man, when I was a kid my best friend was Jewish. When his next door neighbor had his first communion party my friend asked me when I was having mine. I told him we weren't Catholic. It took a while to explain to him.

11-14-2002, 10:55 AM	#7
Carlos Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 545	I was also raised as a Catholic, and remember going to confession all of two or three times. The first was before first communion. Another time was at some religious retreat for teens. It varies a good bit, depending on the individual in question as well as the local parish. When I lived with my American grandmother, she and my and greatgrandmother used to go fairly often, I think. The churches they attended were more traditional (pews, confessional booths, big organs) and formal (felt underdressed if you did not wear a tie). At those churches, one or more priests would usually man the confessionals starting a half hour/hour before the mass. At a different church, the traditions weren't followed so closely (no confessional booths, pews, church band instead of organ). I have no idea how anyone confessed there. Incidentally, this "modern" parish had much greater appeal, especially to the younger generations.

11-14-2002, 11:35 AM	#8
Vesica Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sunny FLA USA Posts: 212	Protestants don't go to confessional...that would be Anglicans, Epis., Baptists, Methodists, Prysb. etc etc.

11-14-2002, 11:39 AM	#9
Sephiroth Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 625	I went quite a bit when I was a pre-teen, don't remember the age I started though.

11-14-2002, 11:42 AM	#10
Vibr8gKiwi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: CA, USA Posts: 543	Mormon kids start having "interviews with the Bishop" where they tell their sins at 8 years old (the age they are baptized).

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