Confessions

To the clergy,

If a person has done things, thought things or contemplated things that weigh upon their heart mind and thus their soul, can they come to you to talk? If a person seeks advice can seek you and talk? If a person is troubled in any way, can they come talk to you in the privacy of confession with the knowledge that you will try to help them?

Can they trust that in this sacred duty of un burdening of '' troubling thoughts and actions that silence will be maintained, help will be garnered and guidance given?

If these answers are all yes regardless of the God or Goddess sought the person who is seeking help will find it. The Priest or Priestess found will be exercising their duties to Gods and the people whom their sacred trust is held will be unburdened at least in part to the troubles and trials they have.

Is this not what was originally offered? Is this not what was originally intended? If another does not seek this particular God or Goddess they have the freedom of choice to seek another. Not everything one person considers a 'sin' matches what another thinks as 'sin'. The important thing is the the help and the guidance in lives.

It is comforting for me to know it is there. While the Lady of the Heart is not the one I would currently chose to unburden my '' troubles too at this time it is nice to know that should something happen that falls that bastion I have choices available.

It is nice to know there are others as well. For all the theological questioning and word battles being had here I would love to hear who would offer what in confessions; of what kind or topics would be covered according to their God or Goddess.

Please.

Lori Blackstone

**not Caelvan **
Like I said before. I will gladly speak to anyone who wishes to talk.

-Merikh

Lori Blackstone,

To answer your questions, yes. For any reason, and at any time one may reach out to the Church and find someone willing to listen if that is all that is wanted, or offer counsel if it is asked for.

Confession specifically is part of a greater process which involves, not necessarily you and me, for example, but you and your faith, even if you feel you have none. In a confession, I would only be an "observer" as it were, between your desire to release some grief, guilt or pain from your conscious and soul.

The differences between how different faiths approach Confession are in my experience, very subtle, but all uniquely beneficial. I have COnfessed to priests of all of the gods in the Church of Light, and each time I felt a different way.

Valos is my personal god. I most often offer my confession to priests of Valos. During the process the priest will often begin by asking a Confessor what troubles them. From there it can feel like nothing more than a pleasant conversation, but people who are burdened by fear and doubts of a heavy conscious will seldom offer up all of what is troubling them. At that point it becomes the duty of the person hearing the confession to ask the appropriate questions in order to have the truth revealed.

I confess at least once a month and I ask for guidance and counseling far more often than that. I hope we will see you Lori Blackstone.

In faith and fellowship

I will not speak for others, Lori, but anything told to me in a confession has never been repeated by me. The salient point is that once one decides upon a confessor, if one does not like the ":penance" or tone of the conversation, one is not free to shop for another concerning the same occurrance. Shopping confessors is not allowed.

The variety of deities oft brings confusion about who the "right" confessor may be. The truth is that confession is more about the confessee than the confessor. Meaning, that the benefit thee derive is personal and the person whom takes the confession is often irelevant.

The penance assigned is important only as a means to confirm true repentance. Speaking of the same situation to different confessors is not discouraged as insight can come from multiple sources. The penance, while it is encouraged to not be the focus, is not something to negotiate, nor is it something that is cause for concern.

To those responding to my questions,

You have my humble thanks. Each in turn offered some enlightenment and much comfort in knowing that similar is here than was at home, across the rift, before the demons came.


Lori Blackstone