Will Australian Priests be Forced to Violate the Seal of Confession?

Canon Law Made Easy ^ | April 18, 2013 | Cathy Caridi, J.C.L.

[AlaskaErik]

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.

I don't know what bible you're reading, but mine says "faults", not "sins", and it's in the context of those who are sick. Anyone who accepts this as the basis for people confessing their sins to a priest is really grasping at straws. If someone wants to confess a sin they can go right to the top, they don't need a middleman.

[D-fendr]

We confess our sins to God through is priests.

Confession is good for the soul.. this is very true. Before I became Catholic I did not confess as often, if ever, or do an examination of conscience, penance, act of contrition.

Done as it should be there is much to confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation as it is know. There is great value in it.

Here’s more on the sacrament:

http://www.fisheaters.com/penance.html

[D-fendr]

Sorry, should be:

We confess our sins to God through, or in the presence of, His priests.

[Hacksaw]

Of course, the attorney/client privilege is sort of the same....except that person is out in the open and there's two sides to his story.

You're right, lawyers are so much more ethical than priests. Let's force people to violate their religious oaths, but by all means protect the lawyers. A lawyer, as we all know, would be the last person to pay off - ooops I mean settle - a nefarious charge against their client.

[narses]

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ “

[Salvation]

[nickcarraway]

The title is misleading. They won’t force priests to violate the seal of the confessional, they will punish them for not doing so.

[Al Hitan]

I don't know what bible you're reading, but mine says "faults", not "sins"

Most of them:

New International Version (©2011)
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Therefore, make it your habit to confess your sins to one another and to pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

NET Bible (©2006)
So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But be confessing your offenses one to another, and pray one for another to be healed, for the power of the prayer which a righteous person prays is great.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed. Prayers offered by those who have God's approval are effective.

American Standard Version
Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.

Darby Bible Translation
Confess therefore your offences to one another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The fervent supplication of the righteous man has much power.

English Revised Version
Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

Weymouth New Testament
Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be cured. The heartfelt supplication of a righteous man exerts a mighty influence.

World English Bible
Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

Young's Literal Translation
Be confessing to one another the trespasses, and be praying for one another, that ye may be healed; very strong is a working supplication of a righteous man

But I'm sure there are some who don't see a sin as being a fault.

[Al Hitan]

It’s not in the bible and no one else has a middleman

Who was the so-called "middleman" to whom these words were said (I've even used the King James Version since it seems like some will accept only it):

John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.