How much does your religion or belief system encourage forgiving others?

Question

If someone hurts you, at what point will you forgive them and give them a fresh start.

(Please define "fresh start" in whatever way your gut feeling tells you.)

Dear "soph" - lol

Dear "dan" - "Fresh start" is what I need, whenever I have made a mistake, and I pay the penalty, and then someone says they have forgiven me. Ergo, when I say or conclude that I have forgiven you for hurting me, I feel compelled to give you a fresh start. - Else, I would just be saying the words, but without giving you a "fresh start", I would not really be forgiving you - would I ? - smiles

Answer 1

i don't know how much my religion encourages us to forgive, but i follow the wiccan rede of harm none. i think that if someone asks you to forgive them and you refuse that this would cause harm not only to them, but to yourself.

i'm a scorpio and we are known for holding grudges (my friend and i say in this life and beyond), so i have a hard time with this sometimes. but if the person who i feel has wronged me asks me to forgive them i really try to do so.

i spend a lot of time with my grandson, and when he does something wrong and he knows i'm angry he will ask me to start over. meaning he wants to pretend that it never happened. if i know he's sorry i always start over with him.
i think that qualifies as a fresh start.

i'm still working on the grudge thing.
eclectic pagan

Answer 2

Ah, Uncle Wayne, you do ask some real posers, you know that? :-)

To give someone a completely fresh start isn't possible, given the persistence of human memory. The best thing that I can do is listen to my gut instincts and do whatever the other person needs/wants. If they need to "confess," I'll listen. If they can't deal with what happened, the subject is closed, not to be mentioned again.

And given that my Role Model said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," I'd say that my religion strongly encourages forgiveness.

As to how much and when, I forgive someone three times: immediately, continuously, and forever.

Answer 3

I read something that changed my life in life people are human and even the ones close to you will hurt you from time to time and you just have to forgive them for that. See Matthew 6 this is the Our father and in this passage it says Forgive us our tress passers as we forgive those who tress pass against us. My husband has been and still is a godly example of forgiving others and people can be difficult.

Fresh start means a new beginning and a second chance and that is what Jesus does for us when we ask forgiveness and repent of our sins. Fresh start means go forward and not backwards and not bring up offenses anymore unless you are ministering to others and teaching them how to forgive.
This was a beautiful post God bless you.

Answer 4

My forgiveness is contingent upon the forgiveness I extend to others.

Forgiveness and trust are two different matters, though. Forgiveness is relieving someone of the debt their transgression causes. I cannot demand that they "make it up to me." In most cases, there really is no making it up, anyway.

I have to forgive those who may not be ready for a "fresh start." In some cases, they have not repented, or they may not think they need forgiveness.

While in most cases - in good relationships - trust is easily restored with forgiveness, in other cases, the fresh start may mean going on separately with no guilt either party carries as baggage.

Answer 5

If you can forgive them, do it immediately. If you are having trouble forgiving them, then go to God and ask Him to take away the anger/hate. If you are sincere while praying, He'll take away the anger, hate, resentment, pain, memories etc and then it'll be easier for you to forgive.

It's also good to remember that God forgives us. The Blood of Jesus is like a never ending rinse cycle. It constantly is washing and forgiving us of sins. That is why Jesus tells us to forgive so that we can continue to be forgiven.

Hope this helps!! Peace and Blessings :)

Answer 6

Well my religion(atheism) doesn't. I encourage my self to forgive others.

It really depends on what kind of hurt you talk about. If you steal from me I can forgive you.... but you wont get the keys to my car or i wont let you in to my place.

It is really done on a case by case basis. So some things can be forgiven but the effects of you actions might last. Trust is hard to earn back once its lost.

Answer 7

Fresh start - All forgiven all forgotten under the sea under the sand what once was, is old and rotten. A brand new day
Friend here is my hand.

You should always forgive others, always.
Jesus did.

Answer 8

In school, 30 years ago, we had 2 boys that were bullies. I have long since forgave and let go of it. I saw one of them a couple years ago. After all these years he remembered me. He asked me to forgive him and I told him I did. Holding grudges can add to your own stress and make you sick. Forgive and move on. The Bible says to forgive 7 x 70 times, meaning always forgive.

Answer 9

Well, in the Lord's prayer that Jesus shared with us it says "forgive us of our debts, just as we forgive our debtors..." So I would so total forgiveness. I am not sure what fresh start means, but I believe that forgive and forget. You don't start over your relationship, but you forget the act.

Oh and also when Jesus said forgive people seventy times seventy times, when someone asked if they should forgive people only seven times, is also in Matthew.

Answer 10

I asked for forgivness Sunday night and most gave it to me, I do not take most things on here personally unless it's about

1. God

2. Jesus

3. Holy Spirit

4. Abortion

Those I usually get kind of upset about, everyone wants to question the motives of God when they do not believe in Him

I forgive all, and ask that they would forgive me right now...