Shame is another word like gay that has been highjacked by the current generation and given an entirely different connotation. We oldies know that gay used to mean happy. Now it means homosexual. Those two words are more antonym than synonym, as psychological studies show. Shame has morphed from being moral to being mental.
It would be good to look at the definition of shame in Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English Language published in 1828:
SHAME, noun
1. A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt, or of having done something which injures reputation; or by of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal. Shame is particularly excited by the disclosure of actions which, in the view of men, are mean and degrading. Hence it it is often or always manifested by a downcast look or by blushes, called confusion of face.
2. The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach, and degrades a person in the estimation of others. Thus an idol is called a shame.
3. Reproach; ignominy; derision; contempt.
4. The parts which modesty requires to be covered.
5. Dishonor; disgrace.
Notice the words “of having done something in which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal” and “actions, which, in the view of men, are mean and degrading.” And, especially 4. “The parts which modesty requires to be covered.” This definition was currently used for over 150 years and is basically the same definition as is in the latest M-W Dictionary but usage has changed.
What prompted me to write about shame was something I read about an ad released in February by Adidas. It promoted a new sports bra line and feature pictures of 25 pairs of naked breasts. (Do you see the irony in that?) Nudity is no longer a source of shame in society. It is featured, promoted and seen as a sign of liberation from all moral restraints so celebrated by the ungodly cultural leaders of today.
Psychology has led the way in changing shame from moral to mental. The APA Dictionary of Psychology defines shame as:
shame n. a highly unpleasant self-conscious emotion arising from the sense of there being something dishonorable, immodest, or indecorous in one’s own conduct or circumstances.
It is typically characterized by withdrawal from social intercourse—for example, by hiding or distracting the attention of another from one’s shameful action— which can have a profound effect on psychological adjustment and interpersonal relationships. Shame may motivate not only avoidant behavior but also defensive, retaliative anger. Psychological research consistently reports a relationship between proneness to shame and a host of psychological symptoms, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, subclinical sociopathy, and low self-esteem.
Shame is also theorized to play a more positive adaptive function by regulating experiences of excessive and inappropriate interest and excitement and by diffusing potentially threatening social behavior.
The operative words here are, “which can have a profound effect on psychological adjustment and interpersonal relationship” and “Psychological research consistently reports a relationship between proneness to shame and a host of psychological symptoms, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, subliminal sociopathy, and low self-esteem.”
The New Age Dictionary of Psychological and Allied Sciences says it best:
Shame: An emotion resulting from failure to live up to self-expectations. Failure is the only shame.
What a burden to put on people, most of whom do not have realistic self-expectations.
The American Psychiatric Association confirmed shame as a mental problem in its latest DSM-5 published in 2013. DSM-5 calls shame a “negative emotional state” that is associated with psychiatric disorders lumped with anxiety, obsessions, guilt, worry, anger, intense sexual frustrations, and isolation. Shame is now a diagnostic criterion for having a mental disorder.
In defending their ad, Adidas tweeted, “it’s important to normalize the human body and help inspire future generations to feel confident and unashamed.” Again, making shame to be a negative feeling to be avoided. It has reached the point that feeling shame makes one ashamed. Not what they do, but what they feel.
À la Mark Zuckerburg, psychology has given us a new “meta” word. An article posted on the Psychology Today website on December 21, 2021 is titled “Meta-Shamelessness: Shameless Pride at Being Shameless.” The syntax of that title, and the article itself, is basically saying that not being able to feel shame is the goal and you can be proud if you reach that goal.
So, you can see, shame has changed from a positive negative word to a totally negative word. I call it a positive, negative word because in prior usage it was a negative feeling brought on yourself by your own behavior in violating a moral norm for your society. It was positive because it prompted the person feeling shame to change their behavior from immoral to moral in the society. Now, shame is a negative negative word. Feeling shame is a negative word because it is a diagnostic symptom of some mental health issue; and negative because feeling shame is itself a shameful act. What a world we live in!
Not to worry. We Christians believe that the world is going to pass away and with it all the agnostics, atheists, shameful, and rebellious against God. Why do we believe that? Because God said so.
Regarding the nudity that Adidas and society is so shameless about, the Bible tells us from Genesis to Revelation that nudity is equated with shame. In some places, the Bible calls one’s nudity one’s shame. In over 100 verses, shame is negative and to be avoided because any disobedience to God brings shame. That does not mean that the person has a mental problem, it means the person has a sin problem. It is no wonder the world rejects that. Mental health problems are better than sin problems—unless there is a righteous judgement to come.
But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:5).
The casting away of shame for sinning against God is but a big step further down the slippery slope to total debauchery and judgement. Of course, those who do what is right in their own eyes do not acknowledge their sin. Their eyes are blind.