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GUILT


Failures taken too seriously.

A ‘black hole’ for those who fear they live ‘in sin’.

Self-recrimination burgeoning in a life without love.

What keeps some obsequiously adhering to a ‘belief’.

Discomforting ‘doubts’ cast by vanities’ obsessions and frustrations.

‘Pangs of conscience’ for those who lack confidence in a ‘just God’.

Discordant notes that reverberate incessantly when we continually rely on cant.

Internal nagging when what you think and do is not what you should think and do.

A form of self-flagellation that emanates from a feeling of not meeting one’s potential.

A trap that abasement can spring on those who depend on societal approval for their self-esteem.
 

  • Perhaps the ONLY sin is not realizing your potential.
     
  • Perhaps we ‘punish’ ourselves when we abandon love.
     
  • Perhaps when you cease to laugh and smile you are guilty of something.
     
  • Perhaps mankind’s trepidation in the face of ‘perceived evils’ drives ‘him’ to placate the gods.
     
  • Perhaps a virulent, skewed vanity has corrupted innocence since ‘apple eating’ became so fateful.
     
  • Perhaps all life is in harmony save ‘man’ who can be despicably discordant when ‘he’ wants to be.
     
  • Perhaps modern science’s remedies for chemical imbalances have inadvertently provided expedient expiations without recriminations.
     
  • Perhaps fear encouraged by religious doctrine has a civilizing effect; perhaps however, to avoid castigation ‘believers’ are apt to be civil only to fellow ‘believers’.
     
  • Perhaps arrogant, condescending attitudes ‘elevate’ self and justify the denigration of others; perhaps this pride must never waver less empathy creep in and upset aloof complacency.
     
  • Perhaps there resides in each person a conscience, a deep awareness of what nurtures and what withers the budding entity that is YOU; perhaps this awareness can become a constant irritant when ignored.

    are pernicious self-recriminations a handicap??

ESSAY ON GUILT by EDWIN O’SHEA

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