Atheism and forgiveness

[Angrboda]

Just spitballing here. I would suggest there is an aspect of forgiveness which derives from compassion; we forgive even those not fully deserving, because we recognize and acknowledge both their and our limits as human beings. Again, just unwinding a thread, if forgiveness is a sort of 'sewing closed' the rips in the fabric of our lives, we recognize that the fabric will never be the same as it was before, and that the new threads which seal the hole are from us. But it is better than living with the holes.

I'll have to give this some thought. They say that the three jewels of Taoism are compassion, humility, and moderation. I've never been particularly good on the compassion part, so, perhaps for me, forgiveness is more having the patience to wait for the ripples to still, and the calm stillness of the surface to reassert itself.

"I have alway found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."
Abraham Lincoln

"What do I mean by accept disgrace willingly?
Accept being unimportant."
Laozi