Forgiveness

[wk11]

I was recently explaining and discussing some aspects of Christian and Catholic doctrine with an acquaintance who is an atheist, and ran into a roadblock that I haven’t encountered before. He took serious issue with the reality of repentance and God’s mercy; that a grave sinner (a murderer was the example we talked about) could acquire complete forgiveness simply by genuinely confessing and repenting of his sins. My friend seemed to think this was unjust, and believed that the sinner should necessarily face punishment relative to their crime before being forgiven. Obviously we as Christians can refer to the Bible to explain this, and Catholics know that all souls will undergo purification in Purgatory. However, these don’t really matter to my friend, who doesn’t accept the inspiration of the Bible.

Does anyone have advice on explaining the goodness and reality of unconditional forgiveness in a way that might make sense to an atheist?

 

[OneSheep]

I was recently explaining and discussing some aspects of Christian and Catholic doctrine with an acquaintance who is an atheist, and ran into a roadblock that I haven’t encountered before. He took serious issue with the reality of repentance and God’s mercy; that a grave sinner (a murderer was the example we talked about) could acquire complete forgiveness simply by genuinely confessing and repenting of his sins. My friend seemed to think this was unjust, and believed that the sinner should necessarily face punishment relative to their crime before being forgiven. Obviously we as Christians can refer to the Bible to explain this, and Catholics know that all souls will undergo purification in Purgatory. However, these don’t really matter to my friend, who doesn’t accept the inspiration of the Bible.

Does anyone have advice on explaining the goodness and reality of unconditional forgiveness in a way that might make sense to an atheist?

Well, I’ll take a stab at it (npi, but there it is).

First of all, when Christians speak of forgiveness, we are talking about forgiveness from the heart, which when done with sincerity will lead to a letting go (disappearance) of all desire to punish. In the mean time, much punishment can actually benefit the individual being punished, in the way of “natural consequence”. A person who forgives from the heart can certainly carry out an appropriate punishment as a benefit to the perpetrator of the crime and as a protection for society (incarceration).

Unconditional forgiveness is first of all a benefit to the one who forgives, it is a path to oneness (wholeness), holiness. Even an atheist can do it, and it would benefit him as well. It is a very freeing thing, to hold nothing against anyone.

Mature forgiveness is from the same viewpoint as Jesus spoke from the cross. People who do evil do not know what they are doing.

Let me know how it goes…

 

[CRATUS]

I was recently explaining and discussing some aspects of Christian and Catholic doctrine with an acquaintance who is an atheist, and ran into a roadblock that I haven’t encountered before. He took serious issue with the reality of repentance and God’s mercy; that a grave sinner (a murderer was the example we talked about) could acquire complete forgiveness simply by genuinely confessing and repenting of his sins. My friend seemed to think this was unjust, and believed that the sinner should necessarily face punishment relative to their crime before being forgiven. Obviously we as Christians can refer to the Bible to explain this, and Catholics know that all souls will undergo purification in Purgatory. However, these don’t really matter to my friend, who doesn’t accept the inspiration of the Bible.

Does anyone have advice on explaining the goodness and reality of unconditional forgiveness in a way that might make sense to an atheist?

It probably sounds like a get-out of jail free card. Just repent and you are no longer responsible for your actions. I do not think repentance works that way. A genuine repentance is difficult. It means to turn completely away from your sin.

 

[tweedlealice]

Salutations
Forgiveness is a gift for the injured individuals. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Remind him of that African American church who had their Senator leading their Bible study. Then, that Caucasian kid went in there with a gun and after participating in some of the study, shot and killed them all. THE FIRST THING THEY SAID WAS THEY FORGAVE HIM!!
Now, I KNOW THAT IS WHAT I SHOULD DO BUT I NEED A FEW DAYS OF PSALM 54–CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, OH LORD.
What burden does anger bring down in our own bodies. We get high blood pressures and stomach ulcers, heart attacks and strokes.
Forgiveness frees us to peace.
in Christ’s love,
Tweedlealice

 

[Charlemagne_III]

I was recently explaining and discussing some aspects of Christian and Catholic doctrine with an acquaintance who is an atheist, and ran into a roadblock that I haven’t encountered before. He took serious issue with the reality of repentance and God’s mercy; that a grave sinner (a murderer was the example we talked about) could acquire complete forgiveness simply by genuinely confessing and repenting of his sins. My friend seemed to think this was unjust, and believed that the sinner should necessarily face punishment relative to their crime before being forgiven. Obviously we as Christians can refer to the Bible to explain this, and Catholics know that all souls will undergo purification in Purgatory. However, these don’t really matter to my friend, who doesn’t accept the inspiration of the Bible.

Does anyone have advice on explaining the goodness and reality of unconditional forgiveness in a way that might make sense to an atheist?

Divine forgiveness you could never explain to an atheist.

Human forgiveness is another matter.

When a human confesses to another human that he has offended him in some way, and seeks forgiveness, the offended party has a choice: to forgive or not to forgive. If he forgives, he is the better for it. If he does not forgive, a spiritual cancer can consume him.

Obviously, justice requires redress for the wrongs done to others. This is rightly achieved through the courts or through a personal reconciliation of the offended party and the offender.

Only when the atheist comes to terms with the principle of reconciliation, will he come to terms with the need to assuage anger and abandon the demand for vengeance that consumes us body and soul.

How much better is it to pray for those who have hurt us than to demand satisfaction?

Only when your atheist friend has tried prayer will he discover he has abandoned anger.