Well, there’s an oxymoron if ever I saw one. Certainly it is if one has been brought up in some form of Christianity. Guilt is not just for Catholics, or lapsed Catholics for that matter.
It seems to me that all forms of Christianity are built upon instilling feelings of guilt and particularly feelings of guilt at taking pleasure in anything.
I know that Christians reading this may well be tempted to declare “Not so!” but when a creed defines an activity as a sin and emphasises this then any one indoctrinated in the creed is bound to feel guilt at gaining pleasure from said activity.
Perhaps I should now admit…Hark! Do I hear a voice instructing me never to admit anything?….. perhaps I should admit to fully understanding what is usually meant by Guilty Pleasures.
It means Chocolate. Chocolate in any of its different guises. However, it only means this for the deadlier half of the species. It only means this for females.
Now there you are men…if you work it out properly you will have at your fingertips the ultimate means of control of the majority of the women in your lives. And don’t let those women make you feel in the least bit guilty about that plural.The friendship of women is a pleasure to be acknowledged and enjoyed….
Here endeth this lesson in the series known a LBC: Other lessons are available at the following links: Anu, Ashock, Conrad, Delirious, Gaelika, Grannymar, Maria, Padmun , Ramana . If I have missed anyone off the list, I apologise, I just find it difficult to keep up.
From the Magpie's Nest 
July 15, 2011 at 7:33 pm |
Gotta tell you, David … I fear my entry is more of a lessen than a lesson. LOL
I think there is such a thing as natural guilt that comes from violation of others, but the church certainly has turned it into an artform. I think the problem with the church guilt distortions comes from the belief in original sin. The original sin is probably the promulgation of a belief in original sin.
July 15, 2011 at 7:47 pm |
I wonder if other animals actually feel what we call guilt?
I do include every other belief system that has a list of “sins”, and that includes Buddhism. Some Buddhists even surmise that Jesus (as recorded in the Gospels) was influenced by Buddhist missionaries sent to Alexandria.
What they don’t realise is that most of what is attributed to Jesus actually came from the pen of Saul(later known as Paul).
I tink I may quote you re original sin if that is okay?
July 15, 2011 at 7:51 pm |
All the old laws and lists of sins were made by…. wait for it…. MEN!
So ye are all guilty of spoiling our pleasures!! 😉 😆
July 15, 2011 at 8:03 pm |
Well, that is true from Moses onwards . Before him….who knows? When it comes to Christianity it is certainly the women who are responsible for the continuation of the nonsense…so perhaps they were the powers behind the throne all along?
Have to agree that Christianity seems to have invented real misogyny… or maybe Saul/Paul…..
July 15, 2011 at 8:16 pm |
You may quote me as I don’t regard that a sin, LOL.
July 15, 2011 at 9:32 pm |
You will get no argument from me. The Catholic guilt that I had as a child was smothering. Great post and as to your chocolate – well my dear man, do you honestly believe we women are totally honest with men about chocolate or do you think the guilty pleasures may lie hidden from view. Only the Enquirer knows!.
July 16, 2011 at 1:52 am |
As a man, I hear you loud and clear Magpie.
July 23, 2011 at 1:49 pm |
It is amazing how most of us love chocolate but are really guilty about it.
Let us take a pledge to love chocolate and not, EVER to feel guilty about it. What say you?
July 23, 2011 at 4:03 pm |
A pledge to love chocolate. What a lovely idea and count me in on this Chocolate Revolution!
July 23, 2011 at 5:38 pm |
Okay..I’ll announce the revolution on Facebook!
July 23, 2011 at 5:53 pm |
Duly announced…… I’m not going to set up a group though!
Now here’s another kind of Chocolate!
July 31, 2011 at 2:47 pm |
And if you wanted to know why chocolate trumps … 🙂 … http://www.shockmd.com/2008/10/31/sex-chocolate-and-the-brain-or-why-women-prefer-chocolate/
August 21, 2011 at 2:08 am |
Just discovered you have been blogging on your blog all this time. Love the banjo & the dancing. Then watched the Irish dancing & the Irish flogging. Almost like clogging. I took lessons but the teacher went back to college & that was the end of that.