This is a purely philosophical post
This is not prompted by anything in my own life at present. just something that I have thought about sometimes.
I don't understand forgiveness. I know it's supposed to be this grand noble concept... but i just don't get it. Let's take an extreme example (which is usually how this grand nobility is demonstrated) of someone killing your family. You're supposed to forgive them to get peace or something. So what does that mean?
Do you decide that what they did wasn't wrong? Well obviously it was. saying it wasn't is just...ignorant, not noble.
Do you stop being angry at them? If it was in cold blood, they obviously meant to do it... how could you possibly stop being angry? I understand getting tired of being angry (in fact, that is how most of my major arguments have ended, I just get tired of being mad at the person so I stop), but "forgiveness" implies that you choose to stop being angry. That whatever they did does not merit anger anymore. That's bullshit. It's still wrong. it's still horrible. you still have every right to be angry
Does it mean you have to accept them as an equal person? They are clearly morally and ethically corrupt, and not worthy of consideration.
So I don't get it!! What does it mean? And if it means any of those above things, How is that so noble?? You're basically ignoring the principles of right and wrong for the sake of someone who has done wrong to you.
What the hell?
maybe I'm just not enlightened enough.
I don't understand forgiveness. I know it's supposed to be this grand noble concept... but i just don't get it. Let's take an extreme example (which is usually how this grand nobility is demonstrated) of someone killing your family. You're supposed to forgive them to get peace or something. So what does that mean?
Do you decide that what they did wasn't wrong? Well obviously it was. saying it wasn't is just...ignorant, not noble.
Do you stop being angry at them? If it was in cold blood, they obviously meant to do it... how could you possibly stop being angry? I understand getting tired of being angry (in fact, that is how most of my major arguments have ended, I just get tired of being mad at the person so I stop), but "forgiveness" implies that you choose to stop being angry. That whatever they did does not merit anger anymore. That's bullshit. It's still wrong. it's still horrible. you still have every right to be angry
Does it mean you have to accept them as an equal person? They are clearly morally and ethically corrupt, and not worthy of consideration.
So I don't get it!! What does it mean? And if it means any of those above things, How is that so noble?? You're basically ignoring the principles of right and wrong for the sake of someone who has done wrong to you.
What the hell?
maybe I'm just not enlightened enough.