forgive, let it slide and that will be a huge work of mercy on the scale, and a crystal clear conscience that is priceless.
if it translates into a sentence, that will weigh on your conscience
Do you really want to add to that?
you got a pretty sweat deal here man. And it only requires that you do nothing.
Wow, you are guilt-tripping the victim pretty hard in this thread. The consequences of their actions fall on them, not on the victim for going to law enforcement. Forgiveness does not mean calling for no (or minimal) consequences.
I’ve been through this on the victim’s side. My elderly mother was the victim of a violent home invasion and almost died in the process (they tried to strangle her, but she only passed out). The three perpetrators were promptly caught and pled guilty. Although I forgave them fairly easily (much to the surprise of many I know, who expected me to be angry all the time), any mercy my mother gave to them in terms of lighter sentences would probably have put future victims in harm’s way. Future innocent victims seem to have no place in your mercy calculation.
You might be surprised to learn this. but one of the three perpetrators wrote my mom a huge letter that was read at sentencing (she’d already been in jail for 4 months at that point). The gist of it was that going to jail was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She’d led a life of drug-addiction-fueled crime since age 15 and now, for the first time in her life, she was forced to get clean and had the opportunity to create an actual life for herself by availing herself of the opportunity to be forcibly clean in a place where she could get education and job training. I don’t know if she’ll come out with a shot on the other end of her sentence, but I pray for that all the time. I do know what would have happened if my mom hadn’t pressed charges: more crime and more innocent victims.
There is nothing wrong with victims going to authorities and letting the proper people (e.g. a judge) determine what punishment or mercy is called for. The victim should not have any guilty on their consciences for going to the authorities.
When you walk into the courthouse their mothers, wives and children be there. Probably humble and beaten like you can’t even imagine. You’ll get wind of their “long rap”, and more than enough other witnesses demanding a heavy hand. Do you really want to add to that?
My Mom and I did that, three times (three different sentencings). My Mom didn’t add to it by allowing the prosecutor to push for the longest possible sentences. The defendants did it. They are responsible, not the victim. Yes, their families were devastated; ours was too. There were no winners at sentencing, but everyone (even their families, I think), realized that the fault lay with the perpetrators, not the victim for pressing charges.
