Shame and Guilt - differences and similarities

[Monna]

What is the difference between shame and guilt? Are there commonalities? Do different religions and "faiths" within those religions treat the two as different or the same.

In the Christian Bible, when Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, "they both saw clearly and knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made garments for themselves." (Genesis 3:7 Common English Bible). Then, when God came to the garden in the evening as was his habit, they hid themselves. God found them and asked why they had hidden themselves. Adam said “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked?" (Genesis 3: 10-11a)

The Bible doesn't describe their emotion as one of either shame or guilt or even both. Adam admited to being afraid. Today many people would admit to feeling shame if they are seen naked, and there might be a type of fear linked to that shame, but would they feel guilt?

So I'm curious as to what the differences and similarities are, and what the role of fear might be in both ... comments please.

 

[Dave-W]

Guilt is a legal condition.
Shame is an emotion.

Today many people would admit to feeling shame if they are seen naked,

That is an emotional response to a [perceived] negative situation. The bible often links nakedness and shame, a connection I never really understood before watching Shindler's List. It is an urgent need to hide, to protect one's self. In the movie it was to hide from the insane camp commander taking pot shots at the naked prisoners in the open area.

but would they feel guilt?

Guilt is not really a "feeling." It is a condition. You can be guilty of stealing something and never feel bad about it at all; in fact you may feel entitled to take from others. But you are guilty of theft regardless.

Yes there is a feeling of emptiness in the pit of your gut when you think you are guilty of something; but that is an emotion of condemnation - either from self or someone else. And that might not have any basis in reality.

 

[Albion]

Dave said it well IMHO. There is not necessarily any guilt involved with shame, and shame is not a judgment.

 

[Monna]

Guilt is not really a "feeling."

And yet many people claim to "feel guilt." Personally I have never considered "condemnation" as an emotion. Jesus was condemned to death but I suspect he never felt guilty (as I would use the words) as he knew he had done no wrong worthy of death - and even Pilate his judge said as much.

Certainly there are people who admit their guilt, but feel no shame for their deeds. And there are those whose embarassment (shame) arises from being found out rather than from doing the deed.

Do you think Adam and Eve felt fear as a result of their shame or their guilt/condemnation or both?

 

[Dave-W]

Do you think Adam and Eve felt fear as a result of their shame or their guilt/condemnation or both?

I would assume that it was a mixture of unfamiliar emotions. They probably had no name for any of them or the ability to sort them out at that point. The only one they could name was fear.

 

[paul1149]

Guilt can be a formal legal condition, but it can be an emotion as well. You can have people who are declared guilty but who feel no remorse, and you can have people who are not guilty in any way but who feel guilt. "Survivor's guilt" is one form of the latter.

I think the difference between the two is that guilt, whether formal or emotional, pertains to what you have (purportedly) done, while shame is a direct strike against you as a person. It's the difference between "I did a bad thing" and "I am a bad person".

There obviously can be a correspondence, and a strong one, between the two. We can conclude we are bad persons because we have done bad things. But the two are essentially distinct.

And both can be used by satan to attack and undermine us, but also can be used of God to draw us to Him for forgiveness and restoration. Paul says in 2Cor, there is worldly sorrow, which leads to death, and godly sorrow, which leads to repentance and life.

 

[Dave-W]

and you can have people who are not guilty in any way but who feel guilt. "Survivor's guilt" is one form of the latter.

That emotion I would call condemnation rather than guilt.

It's the difference between "I did a bad thing" and "I am a bad person".

That is a good point.

 

[quatona]

And yet many people claim to "feel guilt."

So maybe we can say that shame is one of the feelings that may result from holding the opinion that you are guilty?

Certainly there are people who admit their guilt, but feel no shame for their deeds.

...and there are people who feel shame even though they don´t believe they are guilty.

And there are those whose embarassment (shame) arises from being found out rather than from doing the deed.

Hypothetical question: Would a Kaspar Hauser sort of person (growing up and living with nobody else around) ever feel shame?

Do you think Adam and Eve felt fear as a result of their shame or their guilt/condemnation or both?

Seems like they felt fear because the "knowledge of good and evil" and the realisation of being mortal made their world way more complicated.

 

[essentialsaltes]

I believe the usual sociological difference is phrased something like:

Shame is the bad feeling when your failing has been exposed to others in your community.
Guilt is the bad feeling when you know you have done wrong (regardless of anyone else's knowledge).

With a very broad brush, it's commonly said that Eastern cultures are shame cultures, Christian cultures are guilt cultures.

Shame and guilt are feelings that society inculcates in order to maintain control.

 

[Dave-W]

Shame and guilt are feelings that society inculcates in order to maintain control.

Very true.