First, I have learned working with at risk girls in a Behavioral Unit facility that forgiveness is not mainly for the other person, but for yourself. This helps the "victim" to heal. It also, does not mean that you accept or condone the actions of the person you forgive!lnygaard wrote:I was talking about this book the other day with my family and it ended up being a discussion on forgiving Nazis. In the book, Josef feels that Sage had the powere to forgive him because of her Jewish heritage---do you think he's right? If someone asked you to forgive them even if it didn't directly affect you, would you do it?
Personally, I think I wouldn't be able to do it. Since I wasn't directly affected by the holocaust or my family I would feel a little strange offering it. I don't think it would be my place... Then again can you hold one SS officer accountable for the entire genocide? What do you think?
In my mind not forgiving and moving on is still giving that person or group of people power over you. And you most definitely do not have to forget.
The freest a person that has been victimized can be is when they look their perpetrator(s) in the eye and tell them I forgive you and you have no more control over my life! I am not Jewish and can't say how they might feel, but I do know how hate, fear, and revenge can destroy a life! Unfortunately, I see it way too much as a MHT.