IN THEORY: Confessing to sins online

Websites where visitors can confess sins are reportedly becoming more popular in a society that has moved away from traditional modes of confession, such as one-on-one meetings with priests. Sites such as IveScrewedUp.com, DailyConfession.com and absolution-online.com reportedly offer ways for sinners to confess. At the same time, online confession sites reportedly give churches a vehicle to get people in contact with faith. What do you think of these new cyber-hubs for confession? Do they bring people closer to religion?

God could have communicated with the human family in any way he desired, but “in the fullness of time, he sent his only begotten Son.” God communicated to the human family in human flesh, that of Jesus his Son.

The Catholic Church has a deep respect that the Incarnation of the Son of God is continued in the flesh of his Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. The sacraments of the Church, including confession, rely on human contact. We take to heart the words of Jesus: “Where two or more are gathered in my name, I am present in their midst.”

There is no substitute for human presence, especially in the context of community. Throughout Jesus’ public ministry, it was his human touch that brought healing to those he encountered.

Hasn’t the world become impersonal enough? Often when we call a business we get an automated voice and menu. More and more, we are encouraged to engage in commerce online whether ordering flowers, refilling prescriptions or making hotel reservations. There is something completely Orwellian about moving toward a world where we have no more human contact but through the medium of modern technology conduct all our affairs.

The Internet can be a wonderful resource for information, instructing church members of its theology, for example. It can never, though, take the place of human touch communicated in the presence of the divine.

FATHER PAUL J. HRUBY

Pastor

Church of the Incarnation

Glendale

When the Israelites were carted off to Babylon after the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C., some of them wondered, “Can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” Some of them sat down and wept by the rivers of Babylon — but during that trying time in Jewish history, the synagogue was born.

During the time of Jesus he is quoted as saying that one must put new wine into new wineskins, not the old ones. What both of these instances say to me is that the Living God in whom we live and move and have our being is always making all things new — so why not cyber confession?

I’ll admit that my first reaction was a negative one, but then I realized that God moves in wondrous ways. Of course cyber confession isn’t perfect, but is any form of confession perfect? I am a Protestant, but I also believe confession is good for the soul. In fact, I believe it is mandatory if we are serious about our spiritual life. So who are we to criticize what may be new ways for people to meet God? One of the Psalms says that God doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as if God needed anything.

So those of us in the religion biz shouldn’t be surprised or upset if our fellow human beings find God through their computers. Remember, the Earth is the Lord’s, as another Psalm says, and the fullness thereof. That means computers are God’s property, too, and God can use them any way he wants.

THE REV C.L. “SKIP” LINDEMAN

Congregational Church of the Lighted Window

United Church of Christ

La Cañada Flintridge

Listening to confession and giving a person the opportunity to make amends or take responsibility for his or her actions is an important part of spiritual growth in many religions. The real question about cyber-hub confessions is, do people really change and become more honest or closer to God? Scientologists do take advantage of pastoral guidance in the matter of confession to the end of experiencing great relief and a resurgence of participation in life, family and work.

Scientology volunteer ministers and ordained ministers hear confessions and assist parishioners toward a more fulfilled life. In Scientology, this is not done online, however, as it is the live communication and the acknowledgment and forgiveness by a caring, interested clergy member that gives the confessor relief, and the ability to move forward honestly now freed of guilt.

L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The least-free person is the person who cannot reveal his own acts and who protests the revelation of the improper acts of others.”

Facing up to one’s own transgressions and the confession of these misdeeds to another is the first step toward honesty and spiritual freedom.

CATHERINE EMRANI

Volunteer Minister

Glendale Church of Scientology

Confession is part of a healing process for an individual who has been plagued with the burdens of wrongdoing. If you take the old adage, “Confession is good for the soul,” then it really should not matter where the confession takes place so long as it is done. Cyberspace grants us the ultimate in anonymity, and that in itself can make for a very comfortable confessional.

But confession is only one part of the healing process. The other important step is penance, that is, a means by which the individual makes amends.

That’s where religion comes in. Because while confession is individual in scope, the process of penance operates in the context of community.

I think the bigger issues in this story are the boundaries that are being stretched by technology. Virtual confession booths push yet one more time the religious community to adapt to the lifestyle of its congregants. People need healing. True healing begins with aligning ourselves with God. If a computer and keyboard help in that alignment process, then let’s use it. But at the same time, let’s create those spaces and environments that are not judging, that are caring and provide for community.

FATHER VASKEN MOVSESIAN

Armenian Church

In His Shoes Mission

This week, Jews across the world are preparing to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. A central focus of this holiday — and also of Yom Kippur, the sacred day of atonement that follows — is confession. However, Judaism calls for a sinner to confess privately to God alone. Enumerating one’s sins to a fellow human being isn’t part of Jewish ritual, and so there are no Jewish confessional websites.

Still, in the modern era of digital communications, it is essential to use technology to advance religious beliefs. We live in an environment where almost every level of society and business maintains some kind of online presence, so it is critical that religious organizations also harness the immense power of the Internet for spiritual purposes.

To this end, I’ve noticed many creative and exciting websites that serve the religious needs of the population. One innovative example is www.AskMoses.com, a site that I have been involved with. In addition to offering an online resource for information on Jewish culture and tradition, the site provides confidential, real-time chat access to Jewish scholars available 24 hours a day, six days a week (they rest on the Sabbath). Like the confessional websites, AskMoses.com offers instant and anonymous spiritual guidance to all seekers.

Technology can be an important stepping stone for religious advancement, but it cannot replace the human interaction that is central to religious beliefs. Wondrous as it is, the Internet can never fulfill a person’s need to actually visit a house of worship and interact with clergy and co-religionists. For that, there really is no substitute.

RABBI SIMCHA BACKMAN

Chabad Jewish Center

Through confession we admit our sins, seeking absolution of them and aid to behave better in the future. Eternal, biblical truth helps us use modern confessional methods such as websites in a God-honoring, effective way.

Every sin is an offense against God, so all confession is at first a personal matter between us and Him. David understood this: “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.” (Psalm 32:5).

True confession is accompanied with contrition and the desire to change: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

Because Jesus Christ is the “one mediator . . . between God and men . . . who gave Himself as a ransom for all,” (1 Timothy 2:5-6) we don’t absolutely require the hearing or assistance of another for effective, soul- and conscience-cleansing confession. But face-to-face human interaction opens up avenues of help and healing that we might otherwise miss. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16).

By using relatively anonymous confessional websites, many people might just be taking their first steps toward the essential spiritual practice of confession.

PASTOR JOHN BARTA

Valley Baptist Church

It’s been said that confession is good for the soul. That’s not altogether un-biblical, as James, the biological brother of Jesus put it, “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

My tradition takes this not as some sacramental confession before a priest, but just as it literally says: confession “to each other.” It’s mutual, and one Christian divests his burden and receives that of his fellow. It’s good to get it off your chest, that stuff that steals your joy and convicts you of failure before God. How comforting to have someone accept you even though you admit imperfection. It’s healing, and I get how people might unload on the Internet, especially if there’s a biblically reasoned and forgiving response.

As the occupational equivalent of a priest, I hear my share of confessions. People know that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and they appreciate that their pastor won’t validate their sin but still holds out the exonerating hand of Christ if they repent and truly desire forgiveness. Sometimes people just need to be reminded that Christ paid it once and for all, and that He’s left a direct line to attend their petitions.

I’ve said that I thought Internet religion loses something in translation, but I also admit that if the Net is where someone will finally face their infractions, then perhaps this is the first step of truly confronting the pervasive reality of sin in their lives.

Maybe the Web will hold the future key to people’s coming to terms with why they need a savior, and subsequently investigate the validity of Jesus Christ who came just for that very purpose.

THE REV. BRIAN GRIEM

Senior Pastor

MontroseCommunity Church.org