[Irish_Thatcherite]

Without reducing all of this to a rehash of the Catholic/Protestant thing, I have to ask: If your actual guilt has been removed--now and forever--why hold the guilt feelings, anyways? I never did understand "Catholic guilt."

It's a bit like "liberal guilt" - liberal guilt turns your conscience to mush, Catholic guilt, well, it can have a similiar effect if you are thin-skinned.

[Das Outsider]

It's a bit like "liberal guilt" - liberal guilt turns your conscience to mush, Catholic guilt, well, it can have a similiar effect if you are thin-skinned.

Without overstepping my boundaries here, I think a lot of it is in the congregation's perception of the doctrine.

Let me put it to you another way: If Jesus Christ died once and for all, for all men, in all times, to put you in right standing with God the Father, where is the need to dwell in guilt feelings?

If you've ever read a biography of Martin Luther--or perhaps seen the recent movie, "Luther"--it's clear what constant guilt can do to a person. Instead of moving closer to God, they run away; they begin to hate him--perhaps question why they are being condemned.