Lessons in Forgiveness
- This is a preview of the essay.
To view the full text you must login!
Lessons in Forgiveness - by Barbara Ashley Phillips
Forgiveness is simply being at peace with whatever is, as it is. Simply, this means giving up the fight with the past. We don't often think of unforgiveness as fighting with the past, but that's what it is. It is investing our precious life in a vain attempt to change the past! It prevents us from focusing on what is ahead of us the whole rest of our life. Here are some stories of how others have dealt with painful pasts and how you might be able to deal with your own recollections. Enjoy.
South Africa
At the end of the brutal apartheid regime, South Africa's new, black leaders most themselves former prisoners who had suffered terribly over periods ranging up to nearly 3 decades decided on a unique process for dealing with the unspeakable crimes that had occurred mostly through the acts of government officers, and at times also through the acts of those who opposed the government. They created a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) whose job it was to hear from both victims, their loved ones, and perpetrators seeking amnesty how incredibly brutal and dehumanizing was the torture, rape, abuse, and murder which was routine along with lying by police and public officials. The widespread press and television coverage of the TRC meant that for once, the stories came into the full light of day...