“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”
Psalms 55:22 KJV
Several years ago after a painful divorce I was going through a very rough time. It was bleeding over into my work and my trouble coping had reached a point I didn’t know what to do. I went to see a psychologist. He was a family therapist and had a good reputation. The very first visit, he had me write down all my problems on paper. He told me I have only one hour a day to deal with it in an efficient manner. the rest of the time was off limits. Then, after my time was up I was instructed burn the paper. Then, as issues arose, I could write them down the next day on a fresh piece of paper so I wouldn’t forget, then deal with them again in the next allotted hour.
I only had to do it once. This ceremonial and symbolic gesture is a way of releasing your burdens, and sending them away, back into the universe or wherever they go, or essentially destroying them from your psyche.
Enter the church. The churches play on your human psychology to cause a release of burden and troubles that can be accomplished easily in a routine therapy session, or even on your own if you know the technique. First, be convinced you are worthless and filled with sin.
1. Confess all your sins or troubles
2. Write them down (during the scrutinies)
3. Shift away the burden in a symbolic gesture or absolution. Allowing “Christ” or the priest to take away your troubles.
In the Bible the same principle applies using a scapegoat, in which an animal is ritually burdened with the sins of others is then driven away. The concept first appears in Leviticus, in which a goat is designated to be cast into the desert to carry away the sins of the community.
When you do this inside of a church doctrine, in a counselors office, or privately at home, the troubles you are facing leave you feeling freedom from what ails you. It simply works.
It is the same reason I burned all my religious items and books when I left the faith. I walked away and never had an ounce of remorse about the decision one time. -No lamenting needed. When someone feels the burdens lifted in a ceremonial confession, it is not a god that is relieving you! It is you, ridding yourself of unwanted trouble and walking away. Nothing more. In the Catholic Church, priests have become overburdened with reconciliations turning into counseling sessions. For those that use it, it becomes addictive. Humans are fairly complex creatures. I am not sure about the psychology of how in the neurons this works exactly, but the churches have mastered it and use it every single day. Get it all out! Confess regularly, cast your burdens to the lord and it makes you feel good. Nothing has actually changed, but it is a mental correction that affects us in a positive way and people swear by it. In the LDS, confession is a regular occurrence in the bishops office, and that works as well.
Save yourself 10% and cut out the middle man. You got this!
He does like burnt offerings. 🔥
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Excellent point. Putting anything representing your woes to the fire would probably work.
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The Inquisition put all their ”woes” in the fire as well, if memory serves?
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Yep. So warm and fuzzy to burn those problems.
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Maybe that’s why Christians and their doctrine say that sinners will burn in hell. I guess we are their problem they had a plan to dispose of us all along.
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Correction: He once liked burnt offerings.
Isaiah 1:11-17 informs us that immutable God grew weary of all the offerings and sacrifices. He’d now prefer that everyone just “stop doing wrong; learn to do right, seek justice, defend the oppressed, take up the cause of the fatherless, and plead the case of the widow.”
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Wait. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. But doing good by people is a great way to live.
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I’m told God’s ways are a mystery, Jim. But yes, the author of that passage displayed a temporary moment of clarity in stating that whether it’s good or bad, the outcome is entirely dependent upon our own actions.
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What a fickle creature.
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Sin and guilt are unique to Christianity. Polytheists have nothing like it. So we don’t cast sins anywhere because we don’t have any. Now, if I am troubled, I will talk to someone or see a therapist if it harming my mental health.
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Agreed. But, it can also work with life’s difficulties whether “sinful” in nature or not. There is a link to the human condition and it’s played in a big way in the churches, but can be applied to various other ritual systems as well.
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From I read guilt and shame are ways of manipulating people. Christian fiction seems to be filled with people pondering what great sin they committed to have something awful happen to them. Then of course, they either commit to Christ or get rewarded by God for their troubles. Does anyone tackle their troubles by themselves? Or is this all mind control?
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From what I’ve seen, the devout become slaves to deferral. It’s a problem in the west, where more than half the people think prayer and waiting for jesus is going to eventually right the ship, so things like environmental issues are not important. Drill, cut, burn, mine, and use it all, for in the end someone’s is coming to repair it and kill all your enemies. Also, reward only comes after you die, so no value to us placed in self advancement. If all that energy applied to church, was focused on science and real problem solving, wow! We could go somewhere special. But alas… they wait for someone else to do it.
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Once I realized that most of my burdens had been cast upon me by the church, I cast them back and walked away.
The pinned post on Nan’s blog describes it perfectly: Leaving Christianity – Oh What A Relief It Is!
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Exactly. Create the problem, offer the solution. It all starts in the beginning convincing you you’re nothing and a sinner. It’s an evil, manipulative ploy.
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Religion plays no role in Australia, so leaving the church brought no anxiety at all. In fact, being religious (overly religious) is considered quite odd in Australia. I do feel for you Americans. It appears there really is a hook, and genuine pain (on many fronts) by leaving the faith.
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The pressure to maintain all the appearances is pretty strong. Even some of the group here continues to struggle, even years after. I like to think this technique might help someone a little, if not a lot. Admittedly though, my personality is geared to move on. I hold no malice, but I don’t stick around to let it keep biting. I’m reminded of Ben still having the jesus stickers on his cars. I’d be done with that shit. Ben? Lol. If something is hurting you, let it go. It’s like having a rope under the horses tail. They just clamp down and keep buckin’ and burnin’.
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Meditation is another thing which many religious people do, but I believe has psychological benefits for releasing stress. Of course with the whole ‘confessing sins’ thing, some people will try to use that against you later, particularly if you have a problem with them or feel like leaving the church 😀
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