RE: Can you forgive someone yet seek justice against them at the same time?
January 15, 2012 at 3:37 am
I'd say justice is the subjective attempt at objective treatment.
I think, by this definition, it is possible to forgive someone while they experience justice. To forgive is to subjectively accept an action which did harm. I can forgive someone for killing someone whom I love, while observing them experiencing justice for their actions. I think the problem comes in when we assert personal justice, which is never really justice, merely our projected morality upon the situation. This, I would argue, is not possible, simply by contradiction of definition.
It's quite interesting to observe when personal justice takes place, the golden rule seems to be revoked and revenge seems to surge. Emotions are a beautifully dangerous thing, I'm glad our legal system isn't based upon them.
I think, by this definition, it is possible to forgive someone while they experience justice. To forgive is to subjectively accept an action which did harm. I can forgive someone for killing someone whom I love, while observing them experiencing justice for their actions. I think the problem comes in when we assert personal justice, which is never really justice, merely our projected morality upon the situation. This, I would argue, is not possible, simply by contradiction of definition.
It's quite interesting to observe when personal justice takes place, the golden rule seems to be revoked and revenge seems to surge. Emotions are a beautifully dangerous thing, I'm glad our legal system isn't based upon them.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
