Where Did Guilt Come From?
2. Does God Exist?, Al Serrato, Apologetics, Christianity, conscience, Culture & Politics, Evolution, evolutionary psychology, God, Gospel, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Moral Argument, Moral Guilt, Sin, theology
As a prosecutor for many decades, I often found myself reflecting on the impact that feelings of guilt have, even upon criminals with lengthy records. Why was it that the guilty wanted to talk about their crime, even after being advised of their rights? Why would those who had “gotten away” nonetheless seek to escape their feelings through alcohol or drugs? Apart from true sociopaths, it seemed to me that people cannot simply cast-off feelings of guilt by force of will. The feelings persist and they demand a reckoning. That voice of conscience – that voice that so many of us try so hard to quiet– simply refuses to cooperate. Where Guilt Comes From Put simply, feelings of guilt arise when a person senses the disconnect between what they have…