Forgiveness

[Truthmatters]

Your religion is based on myth.

it is not provable by any facts.

it will die off like most religions have.

Telling us we have to believe what you believe is arrogance

When you or anyone rejects the truth simply because you reject the source, then the arrogance is your own.

Attacking the messenger while avoiding the message is the biggest blunder of them all.

There is NO arrogance in decerning verifiable proof that something exsists.

You insult me for NOT following blindly like you do.

I dont accept things without a factual basis.

You did when you accepted your religion.

 

[BluePhantom]

I dont accept things without a factual basis.

If it contradicts your personal opinion you don't accept things with factual basis either.

 

[masquerade]

I forgive you for not being the person I wanted you to be.
I forgive you for leaving me disappointed.
I forgive you for being a self-centered _______ from rural ........
I forgive you for not wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving.
I forgive you for not being there when I needed you.
I forgive you for not being the person I wanted you to be.
I forgive you for not being the person I expected you to be.

I forgive you for _____________________________________.

I forgive you and I set you free. And I set myself free.
I set you free to experience all that is meaningful to you and I set myself free to create all that is meaningful to me.

 

[JP Cusick]

I believe the word 'should' is a very damaging word and wouldn't mind if it was removed from our vocabulary. Each time I or anyone uses the word 'should' we are, in effect, saying 'wrong'. Either we are wrong or we're going to be wrong or we were wrong. The word 'should' does not give us a choice. I would replace the word 'should' with the word 'could'. 'Could' gives us a choice and we are never wrong.

You are quite right about that nasty word of "should" as it is a judgmental controlling word which is always an inappropriate projection of ideology.

Changing the word to "could" is fine, but changing it to "must" or to "need" would be a big improvement too.

The words of "suppose to" and "ought to" are equivalent to the word "should" but it is so intensely ingrained into our language and into the popular mentality that we will have to put up with it anyway.

For me when I read or hear the words then I just switch it myself into "could or need or must" and ignore their controlling judgments as being nothing.

 

[masquerade]

.... if one is willing to try.

This exercise can be done with a partner if you can, or do it out loud if you are alone.

Sit quietly with your eyes closed and say, "The person I need to forgive is _______________ and I forgive you for _________________."

Do this over and over. You will have many things to forgive some for and only one or two to forgive others for. If you have a partner present, let him/her say to you, "Thank you, I set you free now." If you do not, then imagine the person you are forgiving saying it to you. Do this for at least five or ten minutes. Search your heart for the injustices you still carry. Then let them go.

When you have cleared as much as you can for now, turn your attention to yourself. Say out loud to yourself, "I forgive myself for ______________." Do this for another five minutes or so. These are powerful exercises and good to do at least once a week to clear out any remaining rubbish. Some experiences are easy to let go and some need to be chipped away at until suddenly one day they let go and dissolve.

 

[Sky Dancer]

Hmm, not sure that one would work for me, masquerade.

Problem is that it doesn't feel authentic until I'm able to take care of the places that hurt.

 

[Avatar4321]

I've actually been thinking about forgiveness alot the past few days. Probably because i was pondering this, which I've probably shared elsewhere:

In late 1838, William W. Phelps, who had been a trusted Church member, was among those who bore false testimony against the Prophet and other Church leaders, leading to their imprisonment in Missouri. In June 1840, Brother Phelps wrote to Joseph Smith, pleading for forgiveness. The Prophet Joseph replied: “I must say that it is with no ordinary feelings I endeavor to write a few lines to you in answer to yours of the 29th [of last month]; at the same time I am rejoiced at the privilege granted me.

“You may in some measure realize what my feelings, as well as Elder Rigdon’s and Brother Hyrum’s were, when we read your letter—truly our hearts were melted into tenderness and compassion when we ascertained your resolves, etc. I can assure you I feel a disposition to act on your case in a manner that will meet the approbation of Jehovah, (whose servant I am), and agreeable to the principles of truth and righteousness which have been revealed; and inasmuch as long-suffering, patience, and mercy have ever characterized the dealings of our heavenly Father towards the humble and penitent, I feel disposed to copy the example, cherish the same principles, and by so doing be a savior of my fellow men.

“It is true, that we have suffered much in consequence of your behavior—the cup of gall, already full enough for mortals to drink, was indeed filled to overflowing when you turned against us, one with whom we had oft taken sweet counsel together, and enjoyed many refreshing seasons from the Lord—‘had it been an enemy, we could have borne it.’ [See Psalm 55:12–14.] ‘In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day when strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon [Far West], even thou wast as one of them; but thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother, in the day that he became a stranger, neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.’ [See Obadiah 1:11–12.]

“However, the cup has been drunk, the will of our Father has been done, and we are yet alive, for which we thank the Lord. And having been delivered from the hands of wicked men by the mercy of our God, we say it is your privilege to be delivered from the powers of the adversary, be brought into the liberty of God’s dear children, and again take your stand among the Saints of the Most High, and by diligence, humility, and love unfeigned, commend yourself to our God, and your God, and to the Church of Jesus Christ.

“Believing your confession to be real, and your repentance genuine, I shall be happy once again to give you the right hand of fellowship, and rejoice over the returning prodigal.

“Your letter was read to the Saints last Sunday, and an expression of their feeling was taken, when it was unanimously resolved, that W. W. Phelps should be received into fellowship.

“‘Come on, dear brother, since the war is past,

For friends at first, are friends again at last.’”

There is another story I was pondering about forgiveness, also. But i dont know where to find it off the top of my head.

Needless to say, I've been feeling the important of both forgiveness toward others and the desire to feel forgiven.

I think this world would be a much better place if we learned forgiveness. Even if it was just towards our own family members.

 

[Avatar4321]

Your religion is based on myth.

it is not provable by any facts.

it will die off like most religions have.

Telling us we have to believe what you believe is arrogance

When you or anyone rejects the truth simply because you reject the source, then the arrogance is your own.

Attacking the messenger while avoiding the message is the biggest blunder of them all.

There is NO arrogance in decerning verifiable proof that something exsists.

You insult me for NOT following blindly like you do.

I dont accept things without a factual basis.

You did when you accepted your religion.

What makes you think anyone who believes differently then you is doing so blindly?

You accept alot of things without a factual basis. I don't think there is a human being alive who doesn't accept a lot of things without a factual basis mostly because they haven't bothered to question every assumption they make yet.

You should be more accepting to the point of view of others. You don't have to believe it. But you should atleast listen and try to understand things from their perspective. It's easier to forgive others that way.

 

[Sky Dancer]

What it must be like to be completely free of enmity.

 

[Sky Dancer]

I've got this one person, I really am struggling to forgive. He stole from me. Vandalized my property. He threatened me, my wife, my dog, my property. He was violent toward his wife, his children and me.

It's really complicated.

 

[Avatar4321]

What it must be like to be completely free of enmity.

I would think that you'd be something like Gandhi or Jesus. I don't know many people who truly get to that level.

It's a goal of mine. I want to be humble. Therefore i need to eliminate pride from my life. And the main attribute of pride is emnity with God and with others.

But it's extremely difficult. Because it's very easy to see in others and very difficult to see in ourselves, even if we are looking for it. and it's recognizing behavior and actions that are natural that are the toughest to overcome.

Now, can you imagine a society of people free of emnity? Free of pride? Who's main goal is to love their fellow man and serve them?

 

[Sky Dancer]

I can imagine a world in which all beings are enlightened. I am not able to imagine myself free of enmity.

 

[hortysir]

I just returned from a weekend workshop. We talked about gratitude and forgiveness. I have some new insights about forgiveness and look forward to discussing them with you soon.


Please share your thoughts and feelings about the topic.

Forgiveness cannot be forced, but it can be invited. What's interesting is to examine what isn't willing to forgive inside and to take care of those places.

The Bible tells me, in prayer, to ask for forgiveness for myself and to vow to forgive those that trespass against me.

I recently was discussing how a man had killed a kid and the other person said, "Well, we should forgive him. That's what God would want us to do"

I told them, "No. It's not my place to forgive him. he didn;t trespass against me. his forgiveness is between him and God"

 

[Avatar4321]

I can imagine a world in which all beings are enlightened. I am not able to imagine myself free of enmity.

then maybe you should look for a closer step. Find a way to measure what you do and keep track of what you do. Find patterns and eliminate them one by one by replacing them with something else. You don't have to see yourself as complete free. Just make interval goals.

 

[Sky Dancer]

I just returned from a weekend workshop. We talked about gratitude and forgiveness. I have some new insights about forgiveness and look forward to discussing them with you soon.


Please share your thoughts and feelings about the topic.

Forgiveness cannot be forced, but it can be invited. What's interesting is to examine what isn't willing to forgive inside and to take care of those places.

The Bible tells me, in prayer, to ask for forgiveness for myself and to vow to forgive those that trespass against me.

I recently was discussing how a man had killed a kid and the other person said, "Well, we should forgive him. That's what God would want us to do"

I told them, "No. It's not my place to forgive him. he didn;t trespass against me. his forgiveness is between him and God"

I vow to forgive too, but that doesn't mean I don't struggle to do so. I'm struggling with one particularly difficult forgiveness now.

 

[Avatar4321]

I vow to forgive too, but that doesn't mean I don't struggle to do so. I'm struggling with one particularly difficult forgiveness now.

When I need help for forgiveness, I pray.

I don't know whether you do that, but I've always found that it helps.

 

[Sky Dancer]

I vow to forgive too, but that doesn't mean I don't struggle to do so. I'm struggling with one particularly difficult forgiveness now.

When I need help for forgiveness, I pray.

I don't know whether you do that, but I've always found that it helps.

I pray. I need more than prayer right now. I'm the one that has to do the work.

 

[hortysir]

Let go and let God, I was taught

 

[Sky Dancer]

Let go and let God, I was taught

Nice soundbite. If I COULD let go, I would let go. I'm working on it. Forgiveness can't be forced.

 

[hortysir]

Sometimes I have to force myself to do it, tho

Some people are harder to forgive than others
Some THINGS are more difficult to forgive.......