When we think of guilt most of us probably think of something undesirable. While this is often true, we should realize that guilt and guilt feelings can also be desirable. If we never became aware of ontological guilt, for example, we might never see the need for a Savior. If we never had any guilt feelings we might be more inclined to act in ways which would harm other people and harm ourselves. Guilt and guilt feelings, therefore, are not always bad. Sometimes they are constructive and helpful.

           Still, guilt feelings often influence us adversely — especially when we rationalize guilt and pretend it does not exist. We do this when we make up excuses to explain our guilt away: “Of course I cheated on my income tax!” We say to ourselves, “but everybody does it.” Or, “certainly I went over the speed limit but there weren’t any other cars around and they probably expect most people to do a little over the posted speed anyhow.” Equally common is the tendency to pass the buck by blaming someone else for our guilt-producing behavior. Adam blamed Eve who in turn blamed the serpent. Hitler blamed the Jews for his difficulties and at the end of his life wrote: “It is true that neither I nor anybody else in Germany wanted war in 1939. It was wanted and provoked exclusively by those international politicians who either came of Jewish stock or worked for Jewish interests. After all my efforts toward disarmament, posterity cannot place the responsibility for this war on me.” This also happens when we blame our friends for their bad influence on us or we deny we are responsible for our actions since so much behavior is determined by our past experiences, or the influence of our parents. (More and more people, it seems, are claiming they cannot be held responsible for their actions since they are the helpless victims of unhealthy childhood experiences.)

            When we push guilt from our conscious awareness, we can be sure it will come back to haunt us in other ways. Denied guilt, for example, often causes physical illness. The mere effort of keeping the guilt out of one’s mind can put a strain on the body and cause it to break down. It is also quite possible that guilty people punish themselves unconsciously by getting sick. This may sound ridiculous until you recognize that according to several estimates, between 50 and 75 percent of all patients who go to a medical doctor are suffering from physical illnesses that are emotionally caused. If we are physically sick we get a lot of sympathy and almost nobody holds us responsible for our actions –including the actions that are causing the guilt.

             Denied guilt can also cause depression. Here the person has done something for which he feels guilty but instead of facing his guilt he develops feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, despair, and discouragement.

             A third way denied guilt influences us is by causing self-destructive behavior. Perhaps you have heard of the flagellants in the Philippines. On Good Friday each year these men walk through the streets beating themselves with whips, literally tearing their backs to shreds. It would seem that individuals feel guilty and think they should punish themselves. Some writers have even suggested that accident proneness may characterize people who are unconsciously angry with themselves for past deeds.

             Fourthly, denied guilt can cause neuroses. Often the guilty person develops what psychologists call an obsessive-compulsive neurosis in which the individual feels a compulsion to do something over and over again since such repetitious acts seem to help one fight off guilt. Lady Macbeth’s repetitious hand washing is a good example from Shakespeare. This neurosis also characterizes the behavior of many religious people. When a person feels he must rigidly attend every church service, serve on every committee and engage in every ritual, these may be unconscious attempts to ward off guilt feelings. For these people life becomes a great burden. Their religion becomes a list of do’s and don’ts they never know the real joy that comes from a guilt-free life.