RE: What is forgiveness and what is not?
February 6, 2019 at 8:37 pm
(This post was last modified: February 6, 2019 at 8:38 pm by bennyboy.)
(February 6, 2019 at 7:57 pm)Brian37 Wrote:(February 6, 2019 at 7:54 pm)bennyboy Wrote: Forgiveness is release from a just punishment under the social contract. You've wronged me-- I would be perfectly right to blame you, and there's no statute of limitations on that. But I choose to absolve you of that social punishment and to let it go.
Even if you let it go, it does not mean you still have to keep company with the one who hurt you.
Absolutely not. Sometimes, the only way you can forgiveness, and mean it, is if you don't have that person's face there reminding you of whatever they did to you.
It's not, "Gee, dad, I forgive you for beating the shit out of me when I was a kid. . . I know you were struggling with alcohol, so let's go out and throw a ball just to catch up on the good ol' days." Although, sometimes it's that.
(February 6, 2019 at 8:09 pm)Gae Bolga Wrote:(February 6, 2019 at 7:54 pm)bennyboy Wrote: Forgiveness is release from a just punishment under the social contract. You've wronged me-- I would be perfectly right to blame you, and there's no statute of limitations on that. But I choose to absolve you of that social punishment and to let it go.
-whereas redemption absolves you even in the face of non-existent forgiveness.
That statement seems slightly cryptic to me. Can you elaborate what you mean by it?
