I think people are conflating forgiveness with reconciliation a bit as well.
More importantly, I think people are conflating forgiveness with absolution. You can forgive someone who is still an absolute unrepentant scumbag, and who God declares will burn in Hell for eternity.
Man's forgiveness does not override God's judgement. Forgiveness if for both the forgiver and the forgiven, but the forgiver is the main recipient unless the forgiven repents. Forgiving someone does not override God. Some people are using that as an argument. That's not the point.
Forgiving someone does not declare them innocent. In many respects, the opposite. You're moving on, despite their transgressions. You're not going to let yourself be bogged down by their sin. What they do with your forgiveness is up to them. If they don't get right...well, you know, the thing.
Forgiveness is not for the one being forgiven, it's for the one doing the forgiving. Forgiving someone is basically saying "I'm done hating you". It doesn't mean that you don't want them to face justice. When you feel like it's right to let go of your negative feelings is up to you. I'm an atheist so I'm not going to try to back any of this up with any religious writings or preachings nor am I going to comment on whether this man should forgive his son's killer or not, all I'll say is forgive when you feel it's best to do so, not for them but for yourself. And if you never feel like forgiving them then I feel sorry for you, holding that much hatred and anger, whether justified or not, is a painful way to live. And when you allow yourself to start healing is up to you.
I think people are conflating forgiveness with reconciliation a bit as well. You can forgive someone and never have anything to do with them again.
I agree, it’s a very effective lie.
More importantly, I think people are conflating forgiveness with absolution. You can forgive someone who is still an absolute unrepentant scumbag, and who God declares will burn in Hell for eternity.
Man's forgiveness does not override God's judgement. Forgiveness if for both the forgiver and the forgiven, but the forgiver is the main recipient unless the forgiven repents. Forgiving someone does not override God. Some people are using that as an argument. That's not the point.
Forgiving someone does not declare them innocent. In many respects, the opposite. You're moving on, despite their transgressions. You're not going to let yourself be bogged down by their sin. What they do with your forgiveness is up to them. If they don't get right...well, you know, the thing.
Forgiveness is not for the one being forgiven, it's for the one doing the forgiving. Forgiving someone is basically saying "I'm done hating you". It doesn't mean that you don't want them to face justice. When you feel like it's right to let go of your negative feelings is up to you. I'm an atheist so I'm not going to try to back any of this up with any religious writings or preachings nor am I going to comment on whether this man should forgive his son's killer or not, all I'll say is forgive when you feel it's best to do so, not for them but for yourself. And if you never feel like forgiving them then I feel sorry for you, holding that much hatred and anger, whether justified or not, is a painful way to live. And when you allow yourself to start healing is up to you.