Community Chat

[Spurt]

Abuse of children, elderly, animals pretty well somes it up for me.....

There was a well publicized jury case here and the judge talked about the history of the 14 year old juvenile whose trial it was for torture and rape of a young girl.  The judge  mentioned about how animal abuse is a sign of something evil in that person (which this kid also had a history of) and how this behaviour  manifests itself in abuse, torture, killing of humans in their future, which showed true in this case....Of course his lawyer got a plea for a lesser sentence, and this evil kid was actually smiling at the hearing, and the judge said when this kid gets to adult prison he wont be smiling for long...

Other things can be forgiven---like silly disputes or something said between family/friends (like my uncle said, if its not going to matter 50 years from now, just forgive and forget), BUT pure evil is a whole different category.... 

[Allegheny]

Yes.

[Spurt]

When you forgive someone, you are not saying what they did is right, what you are saying you are releasing yourself from the prison of anger, bitterness, and resentment and moving on.....Unforgiveness is like the victim taking poison and waiting for the other person to suffer, while the wrong-doer is off enjoying their life and not giving the incident another thought....

[sashamatthews]

I had a sister who became estranged from the family over money.  She did not resolve anything with our mother before our mother died, she did not resolve anything with our older sister before that older sister died.  When her own death was approaching, she tried to reconcile with her stepfather (my father), but he would not see her.  She told him she wished things hadn't worked out the way they did.   She was always close to another sister, but she never tried to reconcile with me.  How's that for hatred?  My mother always used to say you could forgive, but never forget.  That works for me.  

[RetRN]

Wonder why OP is asking this. Seems a rather odd question to which everyone will have their own personal experiences and thoughts. I guess it is just giving them a chance to express themselves. 

[Snicks1]

Yes, there are things that are unforgivable. I'm not perfect, so there are just a few people whom I never forgave and never will. The things done were horrible. (those things were not done to me, but to others that I love). And, I will also add that cruelty, whether it be to people or animals is another thing I can't forgive. I don't carry it around with me, I'm ok with myself for how I feel.

[jubilant]

Well, it's a choice we make.  I would have to say, no.  If I want to be free of  a persons abuse ....(I mean totally free) then I have to forgive.  Unforgiveness automatically keeps you a victim and tied to that person. My choice would be to forgive for my own sake. 

You can vow to never see that person again or whatever you choose to do.  You also don't ignore the harm they have done.  That would not help anyone!  I don't believe forgive and forget.  We don't forget.  We come to terms with what happened and go on trying to live the fullest lives we can.  There is a way to forgive but still hold a person responsible for their actions. Not to hold them responsible just encourages them to  continue on in whatever it is they do.   

[ILTH]

 Oh, so much. 

And, some things that are forgivable are, nonetheless, unforgettable. 

[ILTH]

 So many responses refer to God. 

I thought religion wasn't allowed here and, yet, they're allowed to remain. I know atheism isn't tolerated here. 

[SahmIam]

Yes.