Biblical Guilt trips

[OrthodoxyUSA]

Can you think of an instance from scriptures where God laid a "guilt trip" on someone?

Even in a parabable?

Forgive me...

 

[MariaRegina]

Hi, OrthodoxyUSA, long time no see!

God wants to lead all to repentance.

Guilt trips are not of God because a person becomes hung up about something he/she supposedly did and then goes into self-pity.

My mom, for one, knew how to bring on a guilt trip when I had done nothing wrong. For example, when I decided to remain true to the faith, she told me that I was being disobedient in not following her to her protestant sect. And every time she changed to a new sect, she would try to re-enkindle a guilt trip in me.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Guilt trips come from emotional black mail and manipulation.

That's not how God operates.

When we do wrong, God disciplines us. He does not manipulate us.

 

[Macarius]

How about on those about to stone the prostitute?

"You who are without sin, cast the first stone."

Instant guilt trip, at least for me... but as St. Paul says, there is remorse leading to life (guilt that causes serious self-reflection and repentance) and remorse leading to death (because it causes despondancy and causes us to turn away from God).

I would assume, being perfect and being God, that God only uses the former - though in our fallenness we may make it the latter.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

How about on those about to stone the prostitute?

"You who are without sin, cast the first stone."

Instant guilt trip, at least for me... but as St. Paul says, there is remorse leading to life (guilt that causes serious self-reflection and repentance) and remorse leading to death (because it causes despondancy and causes us to turn away from God).

I would assume, being perfect and being God, that God only uses the former - though in our fallenness we may make it the latter.

Hmmm...

Forgive me...

 

[Blonde]

I don't see it as a guilt trip, but in 2 Samuel 12 God uses Nathan to speak to David about Uriah and Bathsheba.....pretty convicting stuff there.

 

[Macarius]

Again, the difference is that "guilt trip" normally has a negative connotation (like despondancy or a sense of extreme dissaproval by the one giving the guilt trip).

In God, this is about calling us to repentance, and at times the negative emotion of guilt can be used to call us BACK to Him. This sorrow leading towards repentance is what God used in both those cases, as the people addressed repented and as such drew closer to God. That means they were acts of LOVE, not acts of disapproval meant to berrate someone and make them feel bad.

 

[MariaRegina]

God does not use guilt trips or other psychological ploys used by humans.

Instead, God often speaks in parables to help lead a person to repentance as in 2 Kingdoms 12 (Orthodox Study Bible).

 

[MariaRegina]

Repentance is a bright sorrow. It is not remorse.

 

[Protoevangel]

Repentance is a bright sorrow. It is not remorse.

Repentance and remorse are not the same thing, true enough, but remorse is often a step towards repentance. That remorse, though, should drive us into the forgiving arms of Jesus, and not into despair. I have read a few modern Orthodox authors contrast repentance with remorse, but in the lives of the Saints, we often read about remorse (bitter regret for sins, compunction, contrition) being the very catalyst that led them to repentance and lives of holiness.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I don't know if I would use the term guilt trip, but there are certainly times when I think that people would feel guilty in the presence of Christ. I like to think that Judas felt pretty guilty when he kissed Christ, and as he pulled away looking into those loving eyes, knowing what he had done. and even though Christ made the comment about Judas betraying the Son of Man with a kiss, I don't think that was to guilt trip him, although I expect he felt rather guilty at that moment.

I dunno, that's a good question

 

[127.0.0.1]

Can you think of an instance from scriptures where God laid a "guilt trip" on someone?

Even in a parabable?

Forgive me...

No, I can't. It doesn't seem like something He'd do. But then, I know far less then I think I know. I duno. Still doesn't sound like Him though. Isn't the whole point of sending someone on a guilt trip something you do to make yourself feel better?

 

[Tiger Lily]

How about on those about to stone the prostitute?

"You who are without sin, cast the first stone."

I call that a statement of fact on the part of Jesus.

 

[MariaRegina]

Originally Posted by Macarius

How about on those about to stone the prostitute?

"You who are without sin, cast the first stone."

​

I call that a statement of fact on the part of Jesus.

I believe that this statement of Christ is similar to the one where Christ talks about the man with the beam in his eye who tries to remove the splinter in someone else's eye. Repeatedly in the Bible, we find Christ telling us not to judge, but to repent of our own sin.

The parable of the Prodigal Son also comes to mind.