Sri Hitler

04-11-2000, 05:12 AM

Forgiveness is an interesting subject. Many, including myself occasionally
still, seem to be under the impression we are responsible to forgive the
'wrongs' or 'evildoing' of every Hitler, serial killer, etc. We have
usurped the place of God. Seems to me that you nor I have any right,
religiously or morally, to forgive these murderers -- only the victims do.
Jesus asked God to forgive those that crucified him. He did not
(supposedly?) ask God to forgive those that crucified all the others.
Forgiveness, as the bible speaks about it, is personal.... it is contingent
on the one who hurt another by accepting responsibility and recognizing what
he did was wrong (repenting)... and it can be given only by the victim.

In the movie ''Dead Man Walking", nowhere did the Sister/Nun who was visiting
Sean Penn (the killer), feel a need to forgive him. It wasn't her place!
She was there to help him take responsibility for his actions before his
execution. She was there to listen to the families of the victims and help
them, if they chose, to let go of the hate.

Does it help to forgive (someone/something) that has caused hunger in
third-world countries, or with the homeless? If the thought of
children/people going hungry bothers anyone, it is a call to feed one
another. Forgiveness doesn't fill an empty tummy. It does give one a false
sense of satisfaction for doing nothing about the problem. "I forgive them,
so I am a good person." It doesn't feed the hungry, and it doesn't pardon
the one who murders another.

As we give up this need to forgive, ignore, or deny, the world for it's
evil's/hurt against others, we can really begin to make a difference. If
what is morally wrong bothers you, do something that will make a difference
in the world for the better, to make this a more beautiful place to live.
Substituting for God for another will get us nowhere. Looking at our own
forgiveness issues where we think we may have hurt another or they have hurt
us personally; feeding the hungry ie. looking at what 'in the world' bothers
us and doing something instead of merely complaining; being a part of the
making of a stronger and better world somehow; speaking up; helping each
other; random (and non-random!) acts of kindness; doing something where we
see ourselves or others as victims of the world... all of these and more may
be a better place to begin than forgiving what is impossible for us to
forgive.

Just some thoughts,
Love,xxxtg