The Catholic-Jewish Guilt Arc

If you don’t understand Carmi’s comments on the Catholic-Jewish Guilt Arc, then I need to tell you a little story. I was hocking some chocolate bars for one of the million school fund raisers that I’m subjected to each year, and Carmi, being the supportive friend that he is, offered to purchase one.

The bars were $3. He had a $5 bill that I couldn’t break or a $2 coin (this is Canada, people). I didn’t want to take the $5 because I would feel bad about owing him money. He didn’t want to give me the $2 because he would feel equally horrible about owing me money. We had to turn to our Protestant colleague, who took Carmi’s $5 and gave him $3 to pay me. She was able to make it through the day knowing she owed Carmi money and paid him back the next day.

That, my fellow bloggers, is the Catholic-Jewish Guilt Arc. We often have to have Protestants intervene with their guiltless consciences to get things done.