Guilt has perhaps the worst reputation of all human sentiments. It has been described as the 'useless emotion'. True, there are times when guilt can have a negative impact on your life or even contribute to a mental health problem. 

Yet, according to Dr Lawrence Howells, Clinical Psychologist, "Guilt is an energizing emotion that drives us to act. The most effective way to reduce guilt is to rectify our flawed behaviour, make amends, and apologise." Like all emotions, guilt is predominantly helpful. 

Religious guilt is another matter. It's the feeling of regret or self-blame when you believe you've gone against your faith's teachings. At its best, guilt can guide you back to your values. But when it’s constant, harsh, and rigid, it stops being helpful and becomes painful. There isn’t a person alive who hasn’t heard some version of, “If I do something bad, God will punish me." 

"Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa". This formula is an integral part of Catholic liturgy. Any religious teaching rooted in the fall of Adam and Eve tells you we're all born in sin for having turned away from God. Hence you're taught strict moral rules, for example around premarital sex, masturbation, or even sensual fantacies. The question is not whether such rules are right or wrong, it's whether they correspond to your values. If they do, you might as well follow the rules. If not, contrived sexual abstinence can be harmful, not holy. It can cause more fear than faith. 

TO BE CONTINUED