Francis Berger
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Regret and Repentance Are Not Synonymous; Or, I'm a Christian, So I Don't Need to Repent

1/28/2023

15 Comments

 
​Earlier this week, William Wildblood published an incisive post on the peck and regret. I highly recommend it.

The post started me thinking about regret and repentance. In particular, about the misguided notion that regret and repentance are essentially synonymous -- to the point that the mere feeling or expression of regret automatically qualifies as repentance.

Regret and repentance do shadow the same ground in many ways, but they are not necessarily the same. Not by a long shot.

Although repentance necessarily involves regret, regret does not necessarily need to involve repentance.

A good example of the latter is a restaurant patron who forgoes his trusted choice at his favorite restaurant in favor of sampling a new dish on the menu. After he tries it, he finds it bland and regrets not sticking to his usual menu choice.

The restaurant patron's regret may be authentic and deeply felt, but it does not require repentance because he has committed no wrongdoing. Nor has he engaged in sin. He simply made a bad personal choice. Though the choice certainly affected his enjoyment of the evening, it did not oppose or work against God and Creation.

The same applies to other mistakes and poor choices that lead to negative consequences. A married couple who purchase their first home at the peak of a housing bubble may regret their decision later when prices crater, but they do not need to repent it.

A man who chose to study law rather than medicine may regret his choice if he finds legal work unfulfilling. However, the regret he experiences regarding his choice of vocation requires no repentance (unless the work he engages in directly opposes God and Creation, but that’s a separate issue).

Simply put, feelings of disappointment or sadness over the unfavorable consequences of past decisions that did not oppose God and Creation require no repentance. Past decisions that opposed God and Creation do require repentance.

These feelings of disappointment or sadness should help us to distinguish when repentance is needed and when it is not. Unfortunately, regret often does more to hinder than aid repentance. 
 
Things start to get tricky when decisions that oppose God and Creation instill no sense of regret, which is almost always a sign of deep spiritual disconnect.

Most individuals who feel no regret over their opposition to God and Creation are either willfully unaware of God or directly opposed to God. But what about individuals who profess to believe in God and claim to understand the reality of sin and the need for repentance?

This is where the birdemic and the peck become "problematic", especially for Christians.

Many Christians have begun expressing regret for their decision to take the peck. The vast majority of this regret stems from the apparent ineffectiveness of the peck and/or its reported adverse health effects, which leads me to wonder – would that regret exist if the peck had been “safe and effective” as advertised?

Would the Christians who now lament taking the peck show any sign of regret if the peck had protected them from transmission and not presented any potential side effects?

I hate to say this, but I don’t think many of them would.

Moreover, I firmly believe that most would feel immensely good about themselves and their decision.

Furthermore, I posit that few of them would be all that troubled about the totalitarian technocratic surveillance society the Ahramanic bureaucrats so passionately wanted – and still want -- to make permanent via a peck program or some similar demonic configuration.  

I have encountered very few pecked Christians whose regret for having taken the peck extends beyond “safe and effective” concerns.

I have encountered very few pecked Christians who recognize and understand that the decision to take the peck, even under the sway of ruthless coercion, was in direct opposition to God and Creation.

I have encountered very few pecked Christians who have comprehended, let alone expressed, the need to repent the thoughts, actions, and behavior they exhibited during the birdemic and its peck campaign.

Barely any of the pecked Christians I know have regretted, let alone repented, their direct or indirect involvement in the peck program’s extended totalitarian atrocities, wicked coercion, dehumanizing measures, demonizing tactics, and degrading practices.

On the contrary, most are under the impression that their peck-related thoughts and actions require no repentance at all. Regret? Sure. But repentance? Nah!

As far as they are concerned, the peck-related decisions they made are akin to the example of the restaurant patron’s decision described above – a regrettable choice, but not wrong and certainly not against God and Creation; hence, no need to repent.
​
I ask the following of Christians who hold such views: Was anything related to the birdemic and its peck campaign even remotely True, Beautiful, Virtuous, or Good? I realize that all of it was vehemently promoted as such, even by most church authorities and leaders, but was it so?

The prerequisite for repentance is the acknowledgment of sin. Without the acknowledgment of sin, there can be no repentance – only regret -- maybe.

Although I sympathize with all the regret pecked Christians are feeling at the moment, I sincerely believe such regret to be insufficient, primarily because it works against the acknowledgment of sin and the very real need for repentance.
​
I say this not as some holier-than-thou authority on sin and repentance whose thoughts and actions are sinless and pure, but as a fellow sinner who understands that the problem for Christians is not sinning, so much as the refusal to repent. 

The spiritual disconnect between birdemic/peck sin and the refusal to repent is too massive to ignore, refute, or dismiss. Christians who continue to ignore, refute, or dismiss the need for such repentance are inevitably on the wrong side and will remain there until the need for repentance is acknowledged. 

Note added: This will likely be my last post on the birdemic/peck and repentance. Christians who still don't get it are intentionally refusing to "get it", and there's not much that can be done about that. 
15 Comments
bruce g charlton
1/28/2023 19:21:29

A vital distinction! Indeed you could go even further, and say that a Christian should often repent that which he does not regret - in the sense that regret is a feeling that you may Or May Not have for sinning.

I personally repent several past behaviours that I do not have a feeling of regret about - presumably because I enjoyed the sin and did not suffer the punishment that I would have deserved for it.

The fact I do not have feelings of regret is, indeed, due to my sinful nature - which I Do repent.

I think that repentance is perhaps as simple as recognizing, acknowledging, and opposing the fact of having sinned.

...More a matter of "I should not have done it", than a matter of "doing it made me feel bad".

This was certainly one of the main issues I had to sort out, largely for myself, after becoming a Christian; since the official guidance I encountered was inadequate.

Another related issue was trying to understand what was meant by Christian 'forgiveness' being mandatory - because the level of misunderstanding and disinformation on that subject was just too great for me to find the truth among the errors and lies.

Reply
Francis Berger
1/29/2023 09:38:04

@ Bruce - "The fact I do not have feelings of regret is, indeed, due to my sinful nature - which I Do repent. I think that repentance is perhaps as simple as recognizing, acknowledging, and opposing the fact of having sinned ...More a matter of "I should not have done it", than a matter of "doing it made me feel bad".

Yes, those are great points, particularly the one about recognizing, acknowledging, and opposing the fact that one has sinned. That is partly what inspired the post. I sense a great deal of regret but very little recognition, acknowledgement, and opposition to sin.

Regret works if it leads to acknowledgment of sin and needed repentance, but a lack of regret should not be taken as a sign that one has not sinned and does not need to repent.

I engage in sins that do not make me feel remorse, but this lack of remorse doesn't eclipse the recognition that I have committed sin (at least most of the time! I am sure I have blindspots!)

Reply
Lady Mermaid link
1/29/2023 20:42:38

I've definitely committed serious sins that I have never suffered the consequences of. In fact, some of these sins will probably remain hidden. It's quite easy to justify sin that doesn't have an immediate consequence. However, our modern world confuses feelings with truth.

God is quite merciful in that we do not pay the price of our sins as we deserve. It can be quite humbling to acknowledge that you have done wrong. Repentance is the easiest yet most difficult aspect of being a Christian.

Reply
Steve
1/28/2023 23:43:43

I'm tempted to take the distinction a bit further -- repentance implies the intent (at least at the moment) to "go and sin no more" while regret does not. To me, repentance means I've learned from that sin event enough that if I were confronted with the same situation in the future, while I might well do the same thing, I would at least (hopefully) recognize it as wrong.

Reply
Francis Berger
1/29/2023 09:44:38

@ Steve - Great point. I agree. Some sins can take a lifetime to overcome. Some may not be overcome at all during mortal life. But if we are aware of our sins as sins and repent them, then the sins are easier to discard when we leave mortal life. The dynamic is much different if we refuse to acknowledge sin as sin during mortal life.

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bruce g charlton
1/29/2023 13:05:46

I don't think I agree with Steve, if the point is pushed home fully.

After all, it is a feature of mortal life that there are some sins that we repeat and repeat, and can have no confidence that we will ever stop ourselves from doing.

And, in principle, Any unrepented sin can be sufficient to lead a Man to reject Heaven (as CS Lewis illustrated in The Great Divorce).

For instance; Can we ever stop harbouring the sin of resentment, or succumbing to despair? I don't for a moment suppose I ever shall, and in that sense my intent to stop doing these sins is worth very little. Indeed, to believe in such an intent is more a sign of self-deception than a virtue!

I think it better to focus on that fact of recognizing resentment or despair as sins, and repenting them; no matter that I cannot stop doing them.

Sins are a simple fact of this mortal life; which is why we need resurrection and Heaven.

In the end, the problem with unrepented sins is that they put us onto the side of Satan and lead to our rejection of salvation. The phrase that Jesus came to save *sinners* contains this wisdom. He did not require that we cease to sin in order to offer salvation - which is just as well, or else there would be no Man saved.

Part of the problem is that people forget that most sins are like resentment, despair and dishonesty, very common and almost unavoidable - and tend to focus on less frequent (and more avoidable) sins like adultery, theft or murder.

This focus gives a false impression that 'sin' can be avoided if only we really try hard enough - which is more like the Pharisee attitude that Jesus railed against.

Anti-Gnostic
1/29/2023 04:00:58

Yes. Not just refrain from acts, but complete metanoia: a literal "change of heart," such that acting in the old way is unthinkable. Also, the Orthodox praxis of the godparents physically turning and spitting on Satan on behalf of the child.

Reply
Francis Berger
1/29/2023 09:51:29

@ Anti-Gnostic - Ideally, that is the goal, and I believe it can be achieved in some areas for most people, but for me the "change of heart" is more about recognizing and acknowledging that the old way is sinful and recognizing the fact even when the "unthinkable" within sin remains "doable", despite our best intentions.

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William James Tychonievich link
1/29/2023 04:53:59

Very important distinction. And I agree with Bruce that repentance without regret is possible and often necessary. Regret is an emotional experience; repentance is a spiritual choice.

Reply
Francis Berger
1/29/2023 09:52:08

@ Wm - Thanks. That's a good way of putting it.

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Lady Mermaid link
1/29/2023 20:35:27

This brings to mind one of your best posts explaining the concept of repentance. All of us sin every day. The danger is when we try to justify our sins and claim that they aren't really sins at all.

https://narrowdesert.blogspot.com/2021/08/no-mercy-for-sin.html

Reply
Steve
1/30/2023 00:03:12

Bruce, I'm not following. Are you saying that one can meaningfully repent without any intent to turn away from sin or towards righteousness? When He tells the Israelites to turn away from their idolatry, He means more than the Israelites just saying, "Whoops" and then return to their regularly scheduled idol worship.

As an example, I think Zacchaeus repented, in that he at least professed the intent to make amends. I do not think it would have been repentance for him to have confessed his sins, but never intending to change his ways and get on the straight and narrow. And this is why I think the Bible uses Zacchaeus as an example.

Similarly, Jesus tells the woman at the well to go and sin no more, not, well, off with you, to #6 and lucky #7.

You don't think we are supposed to at least make the effort to turn away from sin?

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bruce g charlton
1/30/2023 08:39:36

@Steve: "Are you saying that one can meaningfully repent without any intent to turn away from sin or towards righteousness?"

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying - but I go on to explain what I mean afterwards! I am saying that the intent to turn away from a specific sin is a *separate* thing from repentance.

Do you really intend never to resent another person ever again, and never to fall into despair? If so, your intentions are like smoke in wind; and mean nothing in practice - because you will do such sins and others, many-many times, probably in the next five minutes!

We are sinners; all of us without exception, necessarily and for as long as we live.

We fall into sin in so many ways, so often, that it is ridiculous to assume that by intention we can made ourselves free of sin.

This intent to reform thing is a red herring, a misunderstanding, another issue altogether.

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Steve
1/30/2023 19:18:47

"Do you really intend never to resent another person ever again, and never to fall into despair? "

I intend to try. Those particular sins aren't a big problem to me. I have my own repeat sins that are, though, and after asking forgiveness, make what I tell myself is my best effort to do better.

Now admittedly, a part of this is I don't beat myself up over most sins. Well, of course I don't hit the bullseye every time; I'm only human, and will fall short of the glory of God. But God still expects me to give it the old college try and do my best to hit the target.

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lea
1/31/2023 05:30:17

I took a few weeks off from corresponding about anything meaningful with anyone except my dad, playing alot of games and ignoring the news, blogs, and what have you. Felt good till it got really boring.
So repentance, in an even broader sense, still feels drip-feed since the infamous Atlantic article. While i appreciate people acting somewhat normal around each other this gigantic elephant in the room of 'what the fuck just happened the last two years?' needs to be adressed at some point.

Otherwise it is going to lead the charge into more psychological damage and possibly lasting issues/ conditions.
Repentance in the broadest sense, or even the simplest sense as in sincerely dealing with being wrong about something, is apparently very very difficult for most people.

In extreme cases we have seen they would rather be dead then wrong, not moving from the line at all after a lifeless peck subject got carried out. I still do not understand exactly why and how this happens, but some aspects of what Desmet said do apply for sure; mass psychology is a wholly different animal than the personal kind, and more difficult to detect if it had any lasting detrimental effects.

As a closing note, i also intend to never resent someone or fall into despair again, these are attainable goals.

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