Forgive

In the Christian west, forgiveness is a central act, an immediate concept, an activity honored more in the idea than in practice.  That is changing, however.  As people eschew taking responsibility for their behavior, they feel no need for forgiveness.

The person who changes lanes like a maniac, causing one or more crippling accidents, feels she has only exercised her rights.  What need has she for forgiveness?

The student who spends his time texting and taking calls rather than giving his attention to the teacher feels no need for forgiveness.  He has only acted in his own best interests, he believes.

The politician who takes bribes in the forms of campaign contributions is only doing what she/he needs to do to get re-elected.  Whether she/he has represented the best interests of her/his constituents is nothing to feel guilt about.  Why should she/he ask for forgiveness?

In what ways, then, is forgiveness relevant?  Given the pressure to self-actualize, to help oneself, to simply meditate or contemplate or to live an aggressively purpose driven life, how does forgiveness work?  Given the psychotic obsession of some religious groups on forgiveness, in which people get "saved" every week, every meeting of the group, or every revival meeting, might it be more healthy to skip the forgiveness thing altogether?

I find it worthwhile to differentiate between shame and forgiveness.  Forgiveness is sought, and sometimes given, when one has been found guilty of something.  You cannot forgive someone for having sexual impulses.  Sexual impulses are built in to most living things as God's or nature's mechanism for survival of the species.  To require forgiveness for feeling horny is to require forgivenss for being, not for acting.

But when a person lets the sexual energy he or she is born with fuel a plan to seduce, rape, or otherwise violate another person, the possibility of an action of which she/he is guilty raises a potential for forgiveness-need.  When a person lets the natural need to survive become a consuming greed that tramples on the legitimate needs and aspirations of others, and actions take place that hurt, demean or even murder others, then guilt becomes real and forgiveness might be offered.

What if a person is guilty, but does not feel guilty?

I think that's the issue for too many people today.  They don't feel guilt and thus fail to realize how much they need forgiveness.  I'm not thinking about heaven and hell right now, although we might look at that in the future.  I'm thinking that possibly a person might be stunted, damaged, twisted or even destroyed by the failure to find forgiveness.

What do you think?  Leave a comment and let us know.