Forgiveness
You're Killing Me with Kindness Jesus
10-30-23
I've been mulling over this topic for the last few weeks. Now that "grace and forgiveness" are all over the news in regards to mass murderers admitting they deserve a pass for being stupid, ignorant, graceless and non-compassionate during the great "covid me-too freakout," it's time for me to write another post about forgiveness.
Recently, Cuomo and another mass murderer "NYU expert" Galloway slithered out from under their rocks to lecture the world about how it's time for GRACE and FORGIVENESS for the SHIT SHOW that was covid, of which they CREATED.
Here's the full interview if you want to watch mass murderers yukking it up and begging to be back at the cool kids' table, while lobbing tater tots at those loners that they bullied and continue to bully:
I live in NYS. Cuomo was/is a mass murderer, narcissist and all around dumb-ass. Does he and all the other "covid me-too freakout" mass murderers deserve forgiveness? Should they be forgiven because they were doing the best they could do while mass murdering with incomplete information?
To answer these questions, the following questions must be answered first:
What is forgiveness?
Does forgiveness first require repentance on the part the person asking for forgiveness?
Why forgive and how is it done?
WHAT IS FORGIVENESS?
There is only one source that needs to be referenced when determining what is forgiveness: Jesus.
Yes, Jesus certainly had much to say in the Gospels about forgiveness. In fact, the Our Father - Lord's Prayer, which Jesus provided us, specifically says † "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." † This post will focus only on two areas where Jesus talked about forgiveness:
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
His words on the Cross.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matt. 18:21-35)
Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times. Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt. But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest. And his fellow servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt.
Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him; and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me: Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee? And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.
Goodness! There's much to unpack in that parable. First and foremost, is Jesus saying we need to forgive people even if they don't come to us asking for forgiveness? It's not clear from Peter's question, but it can be assumed that Peter is asking Jesus about forgiving a brother who specifically asks for forgiveness after offending him.
Also, from the parable, the King only forgave the servant his debt when the servant personally asked for patience in repayment. The King did not forgive the servant from afar. So, if a person comes to you and asks for compassion, grace and forgiveness for wronging you, how many times are we to forgive? According to Jesus - EVERY SINGLE TIME.
You're killing me with kindness Jesus! How can we do that? What if those people just keep doing the same thing over and over again? I don't want to be a doormat and how will those people ever learn if they are not held accountable?
Hold on, there is a second part of the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant that answers those questions and concerns.
Continuing in the Parable, the forgiven servant rambles on and finds a fellow servant who owes him money. When that servant personally asks for patience in repayment, the unforgiving servant says NO! PAY NOW! and throws the fellow servant into prison until he paid the debt. Jesus is saying because of our God-given free will, it's a pretty good bet people are going to continue to do bad things even after they are forgiven for their bad things. Is there any ultimate consequence for this behavior? Absolutely.
As the Parable continues: other fellow servants saw how the unforgiving servant treated the person who owed him money and reported this back to the King. The King then metes out the punishment for the unforgiving servant's actions and lack of compassion. Consequently, those people who are forgiven, but continue to act badly in an unforgiving and noncompassionate way to others will face eternal justice at their deaths and will pay for their actions.
God sees all, hears the prayers of all who report injustice, and will mete out the proper judgment for those who are forgiven by others, but refuse to have the same forgiveness and compassion for others.
OUCH! This Parable is harsh. Especially the last sentence: † "So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts." † The Parable is saying if someone comes to us asking for forgiveness for the wrongs that person has done to us, we are REQUIRED to forgive from the heart, EVERY TIME, even if that person then goes out and does not do the same to others, in order that we are forgiven in kind by God at our final judgment.
But doesn't forgiveness require that the person asking for forgiveness first repent? Surely we are not required to forgive those who are probably not really sorry for what they have done (like Cuomo and Galloway)?
DOES FORGIVENESS FIRST REQUIRE REPENTANCE FROM THE ONE ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS?
According to the Parable, the unforgiving servant falls down, and begs the King to give him more time in paying the debt he owes. Is that repentance? The King is moved to pity from the servant's actions and thus the servant must have repented in some manner in order to gain that pity. But what if that repentance was not sincere?
In the case of the parable, maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Maybe the unforgiving servant was really, really sorry for not paying the debt. Maybe he wasn’t really sorry for not repaying the debt and just didn't want to be thrown into prison. Maybe he was trying to put one over on the King because he thought the King was a doormat and could be manipulated with a fake repentance. Who knows? Only the King knows in the end by the servant's subsequent actions.
Nevertheless, no matter the real intention of the one asking for forgiveness, according to the parable, forgiveness does first require some action on the part of the person asking for forgiveness, and while true repentance would be great in the words and subsequent DEEDS of the one asking for forgiveness, at the time of forgiveness, it is not required. The person forgiving can only go by the what is asked of them. We must forgive those who ask for our forgiveness and who at least seem sorry for what they have done to us, EVERY SINGLE TIME, even if they don’t really mean it.
You're still killing me with kindness Jesus! People will walk all over me!
WHY FORGIVE AND HOW?
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant commands that we should forgive our repentant brothers, from our hearts, EVERY TIME it is requested of us. But the ultimate question is why should we? What's in it for us? We were the ones wronged, not them. I'm so tired of being a doormat and having people walk all over me because I am trying to follow Christ’s teachings.
According to the Parable, we should forgive because if we do it when asked, then God will forgive our sins when we ask Him. Tit for tat, an eye for an eye, New Testament style. If we are merciful, compassionate and forgiving of others who most likely don't deserve it, then God will be merciful, compassionate and forgiving to us as well, and we certainly don't deserve it. Pretty simple concept really, but one that strikes the human ego to its core.
The human ego wants earthly justice and complete groveling repentance from those people who wronged us before we forgive them. Or the ego goes one step further and says "I WILL NEVER FORGIVE NO MATTER WHAT!" But if we follow what the ego says that means we don't believe in God's ultimate justice. If we did, we would realize that forgiving others (even those who don't deserve it), saves OUR souls, not the souls of those we forgive. Every time we forgive, God forgives us in return. What happens to those people we forgive is not our concern as God has that covered during the final, eternal judgment.
How do we forgive then? In the Parable, Jesus says to forgive from your heart. What that means is we need to squash our egos, swallow our pride, and truly mean what we say when we say "I forgive you."
Alright, now you're really killing me with kindness Jesus! This is so, so very hard to do, and I don’t know if I can do it.
I know in my case I have to shut down my brain and stop thinking that the person isn't repentant enough, or is just trying to get one over on me. I need to remember that God sees all and those who are forgiven but continue in their sins will pay in the end (and that includes me). But one thing Jesus never told us to do is to "forgive and FORGET." We must forgive, but we are not commanded to forget. God forgets nothing, and neither should we. Our sins and those of others should never be forgotten or else nothing will ever improve in our lives or society.
So that now brings us to the current "covid me-too freakout" forgiveness media tour by those who waged war and death against so many innocent people. Should the covid mass murderers be forgiven because they now say they were doing the best they could and nobody knew any better?
SHOULD THE COVID "ME-TOO-FREAKOUT" MASS MURDERERS BE FORGIVEN?
Personally for me, my ego aches and says NO, NEVER! I lost my job over their actions and many, many more people lost their lives and health.
Those mass murderers killed and maimed so many elderly, babies and others with their mandates, lockdowns and complete utter narcissistic insanity. They are killers and now want absolution as if they did nothing wrong because NOBODY KNEW ANY BETTER!
Well many people did know better and were severely punished by these same mass murderers for telling the truth, and now Cuomo and Galloway are literally saying we should just forget it ever happened because they are dumb shits and, well, it was all for the public good anyway. According to them, it’s time to suck it up buttercups, forgive, have some compassion, and forgetaboutit!
Their public apology tour really isn't moving me to have pity for them, it's just making me more angry. Cuomo especially should be on his knees in every nursing home in NYS, repenting in sack cloth and ashes, publicly in front of the cameras, for all the mass murders he committed, before I can even think of forgiving him! ….
† OK Napoleon, is your human ego/pride done ranting? † So asks God.
Yup, and I'm still angry and agitated.
† Do you want to carry that anger around forever and also risk your soul because of that anger? †
Not really. I'm kind of tired of it. I just wish people could see the truth and start living better lives.
† Then forgive the ones who ask for it, no matter their motives. I will take care of that. Justice is mine. Everyone who forgives those who waged war on humanity these last three years will be forgiven in kind. †
But it is so hard to do. I don’t know if I can do it.
† You can do it. Just try. Drop the ego and open the heart. As for all the other people who will never even ask for forgiveness, a simple "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" is sufficient. Whether they actually do know what they are doing in this war against humanity, I know, and I will take care of it. †
Ok God, I will try — I forgive all those who now say they were wrong during the "covid me-too freakout" … even if they think it was for the right reasons and nobody knew any better…
† Uh, Napoleon, you know you can do better. Drop that last phrase. †
I know... but it’s so hard.... O.K. —- I forgive all those people who now say they were wrong during the "covid me-too freakout" and Lord, please forgive those who don't know what they did or are continuing to do."
† That’s better. Don't worry Napoleon, nothing is forgotten, justice will be served, and all will be put right. Have faith! †
Forgive me Lord for my lack of faith and forgiveness, and thank you Jesus for killing me with kindness.
Holy Batman Napoleon! Talk about stirring up demons...
After Napoleon posted this post about forgiveness at 10:30 pm (last night), I woke up at 12:30 am (this morning) to go to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom a massive sleet storm rained down on the house. It was LOUD.
I went downstairs to get a piece of candy to calm my perpetual burning/dry mouth before going back to bed. Our cat Rusty, who has poopsadoodle issues, is banned from my bedroom because he pooped on my bed a month ago.
Good times.
Rusty followed me upstairs as the sleet storm was raging, and stupid me, I left my bedroom door open while I was looking outside my bedroom window at the sleet on the cars.
Rusty jumped on my bed, crouched and let rip a pee stream onto my comforter. He looked right at me and peed on my bed.
I screamed "hell no!" and threw him off my bed while I pulled off the comforter and blanket before Rusty's pee soaked into my mattress.
Good times.
Napoleon had just went to bed right before the sleet/pee storm, and didn't want to deal with the drama, so it was just me, Rusty and the sleet storm which ended as quickly as it started. I put Rusty into the basement where he can pee and poop anywhere to his heart's content.
While I was washing my comforter and blanket at 1:00 am, I noticed Rusty had also pooped in the dining room under the table.
Good times.
Ugh!!! I was angry. I went into the basement with Rusty and sat down in our chapel we built under the basement stairs. I told God I could no longer deal with the poopsadoodles' problem and I was tired. I also told God I know it is demons getting at me and Napoleon for writing about forgiveness. I know demons can enter animals as Jesus allowed demons to enter pigs.
The nutcase that I am, I believe in God, Jesus AND demons.
Last night before I went to bed (at 8:30 pm) I told God I was no longer going to watch horror movies, or movies about death and destruction. They are too demonic and evil for me and I need/want a peaceful/loving mind. I am sure the demons did not take to kindly to me choosing love over evil.
Anyway demons being demons always know how to get at humans by basically doing the same BS over and over again. The demons know Rusty's poopsadoodle problem irritates and angers me.
Hence Rusty peed on my bed right in front of me and pooped on the dining room floor. The demons rubbed their talons with glee hoping I would swear at God and disown him.
Yup it angered me. But this time I asked God to handle it, I have faith in God now more than ever. The demons lost this time. But there will always be a next time, unfortunately.
BTW: Kind of a funny bit to the boring story above - Rusty's pee has NO odor. He basically pees water. Plus his poops are pebbles. Easy to clean up. Small blessings from God.
Yes, that question.
Jesus' prayer, which might better be called "The Disciples' Prayer", hits the high points. Matthew 6:11 addresses physical needs while verse 12 addresses spiritual needs. Matthew reads "forgive us our debts" in the Greek, while Luke 11:4 read "forgive us our sins". A related Aramaic word points to "sins", and both renditions are correct. Both also direct us to have forgiven or at the same time to forgive our "debtors". The language of the plea echoes Deuteronomy 15:2 (CSB):
"This is how to cancel debt: Every creditor is to cancel what he has lent his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s release of debts has been proclaimed."
This was to happen every seven years (v. 2).
I tend to think of it in terms of "debts", although "sins" works just as well. The request (prayer) is to be forgiven what we have cost God. The forgiveness comes with the command that we likewise forgive others for what they have cost us.
Forgiving the cost to us does not change what was done to us. It doesn't become OK. It does, however, release us from "holding account" and the need for retribution. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 comes to mind:
"Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs."
The need for this forgiveness is brought out right there in Matthew 6, in verses 14-15. You don't have to go to the parable:
"For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses."
I think that is the essence of the Matthew 18 parable. What Jesus said on the cross and what Stephen said as he died are illustrations. Try not to make it more difficult than it already is.
A couple of days ago I attended a memorial for someone I knew, a little older than me, that appears to have been done in by his doctors and their precious injections. I don't think he even knew what was done to him -- we lost contact as he declined -- but if he had known then I am certain he would have forgiven them what it cost him. He was committed to this principle.
Watching people die this way (and I know others that are going, and others that are waiting to see what will happen) brings out in a personal way what the scriptures are saying, far more than does simply reading them. I don't know how to explain that. I just know that forgiving what others' wrongdoing costs us is absolutely essential, as is being forgiven by God if we are to live.
Our forgiveness is not to be conditioned upon others' repentance or lack thereof, which concerns what their actions (works) are going to cost them if they don't repent. We can pray that they might do so and also receive that forgiveness.