Is it truly possible to forgive someone for commiting a crime against your family?

Question

e.g. truly forgiving someone for causing the death to a loved one, causing pain and suffering, etc. Could you really forgive them in your heart of hearts?

I would like to think that we are all capable of forgiveness.

Answer 1

Yes. We tend to see forgiveness as benefiting the forgiven but this is not the case - you are doing yourself the greatest justice when you forgive another. I know I'm no angel and have unwittingly hurt a lot of people. I also know that the greatest moments are when I get a second chance and my folly is overlooked. I extend forgiveness because I know that tomorrow the tables might turn and I will be the one seeking to be forgiven. You can not expect to receive what you do not give. The more you forgive others their faults the more you release your own guilt by learning to forgive self. Forgiveness is a double edged sword that cuts or spares both as equally. It works in your favour to forgive.

Answer 2

Wow that's tough|
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And there are crimes that are infinitely more heinous still - which I cannot mention at this time|

Forgiveness is not an option, it is an *imperative|*

The reason being, if you do not forgive (no matter what was done to you), you are bound by the poison that the person has put into you|

But if you can truly and earnestly forgive, you are free of that poison so that it cannot hurt you any longer|

The pain may take a while to heal, but it will heal eventually|


But forgiveness only means that you have severed all bonds with that person as far as repayment to yourself is concerned|

It is not your business any more|

But that person may still have a hell of a debt to pay as far as God is concerned|

If someone has done something heinous (and the victim may have forgiven him), but full payment of justice must be made by that person for what he has done, and that is God's business|


Ultimate justice is never frustrated indefinitely, for in the end, everyone gets their due|




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Answer 3

This is an open ended question, which requires much thought as to all the possibilities.

If I give a long answer, you won't give me ten points, so I'll just cut to the chase....

Some crimes that are going on now involve the wanton destruction of life and property with no rhyme or reason, and those responsible live in lofty places and are inaccessible.

These criminals just smile at cameras as if all is okay.

Tens of thousands of families are ruined, which in turn brings us all down as a society. And yet, nothing can be done about that.

On the lower level, criminals who ply their trade can't be forgiven when caught.

Most people will forgive all trespassers.

I can't forgive those in high places doing evil and smiling like a Cheshire cat.

Lowly criminals are worth a second chance...sometimes.

Answer 4

Well, it very hard to do so, we know that emotions are a big, monumental part of our everyday life and we get to make decisions based on our emotions at the time. Of that person can be forgiven, if you do not hold any gradges over them then it is possible.

I know it would take a long time for that to happen, but if you think about it, its not that you did not forgive, its because you did not forget, that is why in the bible it read, we should forgive and forget.

If you have forgiven one on common ground without anybody holding any grudges on another, then forgetting will come on its own.

I would forgive them depending on what happened because no matter how much I want to control my emotions, somethings are unforgivable. For killing my loved one, I would first hate them before assessing how it happened.

Answer 5

It is all about love. Forgiveness is called a fruit of the spirit. it is difficult to forgive but if our Creator forgave us then why can we not forgive. A crime was committed against my family and i did forgive but it was hard but i will never forget and after forgiving the criminal was so full of guilt he didn't know what to do hope this is satisfies ur question.

Answer 6

I honestly don't think I could. If it was an accident and the person showed deep remorse and regret for what had happened, and didnt try to put the blame on anything else, then perhaps that would be a different story, but as for someone deliberately killing a loved one... no, definately not.. it'd feel like a betrayal to the memory of your loved one, and like you'd be accepting and tolerating their pain and suffering at the hands of the person responsible.

Answer 7

thats a really tough thing to do, it depends on the type of crime commited also, some crimes take a very serious toll on the victim or the victims family,and in such cases it is very hard to forgive them, but as time goes by people tend to forgieve the crimes, it takes a great deal of courage and will power to forgive a person who has comited crime against ones family," to remember is human, to forgieve is divine", sometimes forgiving also makes you feel light ,

Answer 8

I think it is possible, so long as you recognise that there's a difference between 'forgive' and 'think that it's all all right and didn't matter'. Forgiveness, really, is about recognising that someone's done something awful, and then moving on from it. And I think that can be done - although it's incredibly hard in a situation as emotional as your example.

Answer 9

last week my Daughters teacher accidentally elbowed her in the face... incidents along the lines of this - are understandable - and easily forgiven... But Murderers and Gary Glitters cannot be forgiven.... I agree it is wrong that I feel that I would have to resort to violence & vengence.. but today ..the Law is an azz.. and protects the Guilty.. I would have no hesittation in making a Murderer of Perv' pay for a crime commited against a loved one..

Answer 10

I think it's possible, but very, very hard.
You'd need to worth through all or any vengeful feelings and eventually be completely at peace with yourself, to be able to forgive someone else who had committed such a crime.