The word "confess" has a negative connotation for most people. The idea of opening up and "sharing our secrets" is not something that most people enjoy.
Different Meanings
In the English language, confess has at least four different meanings/contexts.
Legal
admit or state that one has committed a crime or is at fault in some way
From a legal perspective, a confession is an admission to committing a crime or taking legal responsibility for some wrongdoing. This type of confession is made famous in TV shows like Law and Order. The police try to draw out a confession from the alleged criminals.
A confession does not always mean you are guilty. There, of course, are false confessions.
Personal
admit or acknowledge something reluctantly, typically because one feels slightly ashamed or embarrassed
People also confess mistakes and offenses that have no legal ramifications. I can confess that I lost my wallet, or that I was impatient and angry with my children.
These types of confessions can be important to repairing relationships.
Religious
declare (one's faith)
A confession can also be a statement of faith.
- Christians confess Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.
- Muslims confess that there is only one true God and Muhammad is his prophet.
A confession of beliefs is common in most world religions. Even people who do not claim to be religious still follow mantras or shared sayings that guide their life.
declare one's sins formally to a priest
For Catholics, confession is declaring sins to a priest. Many faiths have a recognized confession, whether formal or informal. Confession is spoken words that align with something that has already be approved or prohibited.
That's Greek To Me
The Greek word for confess is ὁμολογέω, which is transliterated as homologeó.
Homologeó communicates the idea of voicing the same opinion. Confession occurs when someone personally states truth that has already been declared.
- From a legal perspective, an alleged criminal states that he or she is indeed broken the law of the land.
- From a personal perspective, a person admits to the mistake or offense already recognized by the group of friends, family, or community.
- From a religious perspective, a new believer verbally aligns his or her life to a new found faith.
- Or a follower of a certain faith, speaks in one voice by confessing activities that are prohibited.
A Steem Confession
Within the Steem community, there is no single confession. There are camps within our community, and personally, I believe that is a good thing. We do not all align ideologically and spiritually. We do not share the same interests, skills, dreams, and ideals. Therefore, we should not have a single Steem confession.
We may need to confess our wrongdoings towards other members of our community. Even though we have not harmed someone legally, we are prone to misspeak, cause confusion, and inflict pain with our words and our actions. Admitted that can go a long way in mending broken relationships.
Final Thoughts
Confession seems like a harsh word, but it means to voicing the same opinion. Not so bad if you ask me.
- Do you confess frequently?
- Is your confession driven by a religious belief?
- Are you a part of a group (religious or non-religious) that has a confession or accepted mantra?
- How does the word confession make you feel?
Thanks for stopping by.
@SumatraNate
Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/confessional-confession-122763/