Online Forgiveness?

I know I normally start my blog this way, but my blogs normally come from the news. It never ceases to amaze me what our culture brings to the religious table. Well in going through the news sites a couple of days ago I came across this article about online confessionals, are you kidding me? Being an ex-Catholic this idea intrigued me. These are online sites where people actually go and post the sins they have committed. Is this done instead of actually asking for forgiveness from the only one that can forgive sins? I mean I really don't get it, why would you post your sins for the whole world to see? At one of the sites I looked at, ivescrewedup.com, you can even browse other peoples confessions. I really fail to see how this is edifying to the body of Christ. The thing that kills me about this is that they are calling this "a new genre of confession". Really?

I truly believe this one quote sums up this whole idea of online confessionals, "They have said to me, 'This is where hope is for me.' They think they can find on these sites some kind of goodness that eludes them in real life." Wow?!? So that's what this is all about? Finding the good that eludes them in the real world? If that is what this is really about then why do they not look at the one that can offer them true forgiveness? Probably because because that would require a little more than confession. It would require them to actually turn from that sin. On one site, grouphug.com, you can actually vote to give the persona hug or to shrug them. That's reality? That's forgiveness?

Here are some verses that came to mind while I was reading this:

Matthew 1:21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Luke 24:46-47 "and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem."

Acts 2:38 "Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

James 5:15 "and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him."

1 John 2:1-2 " My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."

Please understand that our Lord and Savior is the only one who can forgive and forgiveness comes through true repentance. No priest, no online site or pastor can offer you forgiveness or penance that will make you right with God. The only way is through believing in Christ alone by faith alone and that He died once for all sins.