Thanks, that’s twice now you have corrected me.
I apologize to all for taking thread totally off topic. Of course I am not the only one to blame, but I take full responsibility in my part of this fiasco.
Thank you Mr/s MHalsey. It was all avoidable and I do accept your apologies.
I do want to make a couple of things clear that emerge from this situation:
(1) Most of us interact in very significant ways in the world, in the secular world. It’s big and cruel. So when someone comes out and says something on CA, true or untrue, it becomes a part of a searchable dbase of ‘stuff’. Generally, you don’t know about it until someone throws it up to you and then you have to use any means to find it and correct it. Sometimes the correction is almost impossible and it stays out there. There are some very evil people out there without scruples and will post anything out of pure malice, out of envy, out of revenge. Lesson: Careful what you repeat and where you repeat it.
(2) While it is part of Christian *charity *to forgive it is also part of Christian *duty *to correct. Those who are familiar with NT scripture can cite a number of passages that require us to correct brothers and sisters who err. We are or should be familiar with the terms
fraternal correction and
paternal correction. So, where I am willing to forgive out of charity it does not necessarily follow that forgiveness should imply or require that we ignore the error and allow the errant person to continue his/her error uncorrected. That would not be charitable. So, we move to correct
both the error and the errant. Lesson: If someone does a wrong we should bring it to his/her attention, urge correction, urge reconciliation, and urge rehabilitation of the wrong done. An example would be if you steal something, the confessor will usually ask you to return the stolen item or restore the value of the stolen item to the aggrieved. It’s only fair if you get forgiveness you should not enjoy the fruits of your sin in a state of forgiveness; that’s not the purpose of reconciliation, to sin, be forgiven, and run out and sin again.
Lesson: Contrition and reconciliation is more than saying "
I’m sorry! and requires purging the damage or correcting the error.
(3) While it’s nice to offer Christian charity in forgiving a wrong done to one personally, we have to consider that if the wrong is done not only to the person directly but the person continues to suffer the consequences of the wrong because the wrong was somehow publically injurious, then the reconciliation becomes a bit more complex. There are certain things that the errant must do to ensure that the extended damage done is mitigated or corrected. So, in a public forum this may involve a public apology. Also in a public forum where the errant has stated that his statements are based on more than personal opinion and in fact calls the public’s attention to his sources–albeit unverified sources–and even points to another person informing him of fact A or fact B–facts need not necessarily be true to qualify as a fact–and the injured party asks for the information to set things right, would anyone argue that the injured party does not have the right to know where the facts came from?
Lesson: Private injury can be assuaged with private apology; public injury requires complex correction.
(4) If the errant says he obtained the damaging information from so-and-so we have two possible situations: (a) either he did receive the information from so-and-so and can provide that information and the identity of the person providing it and end the discussion right then and there, or (b) he said he obtained the information from so-and-so but did not and so cannot identify the source. In the latter instance he not only becomes a libeler but also a liar (admittedly libel involves untrue facts but lying is yet another sin). So, the individual not only has to apologize for the initial libel or publishing of false facts but also has to apologize for lying, as well.
Lesson: A simple wrong can be complicated by moral disorder; both require correction.
(5) Is it really just that someone should have the benefit of a public forum to do what he wishes without accountability and abuse that forum? Is it really justice to allow that person to go unscathed and still unjustly enjoy credibility while being a liar and a slanderer? Has anyone heard of the Decalogue or the Ten Natural Virtues? How about the Ten Commandments? How about ethics and the mandates of social justice? Lesson: Everyone, not only the sinner, has a duty of correction. An individual wrong done without evil intent is one thing but a wrong done maliciously is quite another. We must ensure justice to the individual
and justice to the community.
So, before we get all mushy about accepting apologies, let’s also look at wound care and how to properly dress the wounds and keep the infection from spreading. Just good general public health and sanitation advice.
I am at all times available for private discussion of any questions anyone may have that are within my ken. Certainly, my personal life is within my ken and I am very open about that. I cannot respond to that of which I am unaware and it’s unfair to expect a rational response when facing an irrational situation; to expect production when refusing the required materials.
