I am asking all Christians to help me with this question.?

Question

In 2001, I taught a nun how to make handmade soap in my home. She travelled to me for lessons. She offered to thank me with a massage and in that massage, she did something that she never should have done, posing it to me as "therapeutic". When we asked her for explanation 4 months later, she fell silent. The nuns were silent with us for 3 years, then sent us 8000 emails, but they never wanted to listen to what happened or talk to me about what I experienced. From all you know about God and faith, please leave your comments, and help me begin the forgiveness journey. I do not know how and although it has been five years since the incident, I am still hurting deeply and afraid to go into any church Catholic or nonCatholic. I never thought it was Christian to ignore people, to use the silent treatment, so I ask Christians on the internet, please help me to forgive. I have no clue. There's been a lot of damage to me and my family in this. This person is making soap and selling it.

Answer 1

It isn't who did it to you but that anyone! would take advantage of you especially if you trusted them. For me it was my brother. Forgiveness comes in stages as you never "forget" the incident. "Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die". R. McManus. Forgiving does not mean you forget or that you are willing to allow this person back into your life or that you are saying what they did was O.K. with you now. Forgiving is walking away from the event and choosing to leave the pain on their doorstep instead... you have no ownership anymore. It's like taking an ugly, scratchy sweater that someone made you take and wear and then peeling it off and giving it back to them and telling them you don't want it anymore and then relishing the relief of not haveing to wear that uncomfortable, miserable sweater everyday. God has something bigger for you. Don't stop going to church you need to have support and friends. Focus ahead... not behind... and give yourself time. I could quote scripture to you but I'm sure you can find them.
I'll be praying for you.

Answer 2

If she committed a crime against you, you might consider reporting her to the police. The statute of limitations is not up if it has been five years.

As for forgiveness, it is a process that is hard to describe to a person in this sort of format. One thing that I keep in mind is that God's justice is perfect, and he will have justice on all. Whatever earthly profits a person receives from the exploitation of another are only earthly profits...and there will be a whole other set of punishments and rewards in the afterlife. That is, if you are angry that this person is profiting off of what you have taught her, it doesn't change the fact that you did a good thing (taught her) and she did a bad thing (exploited you). This does not go unnoticed to God. This woman will be brought to account before the mighty judge.

Concerning your fear of church, one person's actions should not be reason enough to keep you away from God. People who get into car accidents often drive again. Any one nun's sinful and/or criminal behavior does not seem to be a sufficient reason to be afraid of all people in all churches everywhere. I would pray that God give you guidance and lead you to a church.

Answer 3

You're all bent out of shape over a massaging incident that happened five years ago. Get over it and move on with your life. Unless this nun cut you, sliced you, or did serious damage to the area that the therapeutic massage was rendered, simply forgive and forget.

If you need a crutch for anything out of life you can find it--just like Rep. Foley has done. Put the incident aside and move to better plateaus in life.

Answer 4

Hi, I was born into a Roman Catholic background, went through a phase of atheism, and found my spirituality. I am now Rational Spirituality.

According to my current understanding, no-one can harm another person without harming themselves, more. It does not matter that the person currently sells soap. She will pay for her deed sooner or later. "Gods mills grind slowly but surely", is and old adage from the old European Continent, where I came from. Only because you cannot see God' justice, it does not mean it is not taking place.

Therefore, my best advice to you is to say that you should not consider yourself impure through the deeds of others. Regardless of what others do to you, you can retain your self-respect in your own eyes and in the eyes of God. Most importantly, do not allow yourself to go bitter. Look forward to your own future in the knowledge that this experience was just a hurdle, a test maybe, that God sent your way, and that you had overcome.

I knew someone who put all of their faith into a beautiful young roman catholic priest who attempted to rape her at the first available occasion. These things happen. Move on.

You have learned from the experience next time not to believe that anyone connected to the church is better than anyone else in the street. And this is positive. All knowledge and all experience is positive, we grow through it, and you can be the winner!

Answer 5

If the "something she never should have done" was to molest you than you need to file a charge with the police. This woman needs to be punished for what she did to you and stopped from doing it to someone else.

Forgiving someone does not mean letting them get away with what they did. It means not holding hate and anger towards them. They hate and anger will eventually eat you up. That is why abuse victims so often become abusers themselves. Find a counselor to help you deal with this. Pray to God, whoever you concieve God to be to ask for help in being able to forgive and move on.

Answer 6

Wow. That convent REALLY needs to be reported to the archdiocese. It is one thing for an individual to commit a sin, then repent over it, but this sounds more like collusion! Perhaps if you reaize that God sees the evil that is done, and He will repay them for their actions. Meanwhile, God has forgiven YOU, asking only that you do the same for others. True, they do not deserve forgiveness, but then, do you? Just forgive them and pray for them. Scripture says that THAT is like heaping hot coals on their heads.

Answer 7

It appears you have been caught out by churches who are not run by God, but by Satan. There is a good web site that has a lot of information about 'bad' religions. I pray that you will have a look and be able to find what you are looking for. There is a lot of information there. I will also provide a second web site, that may back up what the first web site is saying.

The first web site, Chick publications.
http://www.chick.com/default.asp

The second web site.
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/

I first read the comics publications from Chick back in about 1986 or so.

Answer 8

This may help you, it has helped me and others I know. I say out loud, when I am alone, that I forgive that person. You may not mean it, but once you say it, then God can begin healing you and before you know it, you will actually begin to forgive her. You can also break that bond by writing it down. Ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life. Our problems brings us to God and His love keeps us there.

Answer 9

Very difficult situation for you. As you don't trust any church it will remain hard. The only real peace is in Christ and the true Gospel can be hard to find. When we realize how badly we have sinned against God who has been good to us then we can forgive others even those who don't deserve it because we don't deserve to be forgiven by God. I hope you find that blessed hope in Christ.

Answer 10

This is where I disagree with the Catholic church in that nuns and priests should be able to get married if they want to. There is absolutely nothing in scripture that says you can't. I beleiver if they were allowed they wouldn't have the problems that they do as far as situations like this go. I am sorry this happened to you.