Robert W. Burton: To err may be human, but forgiveness isn’t so divine

Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor
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I have a bone to pick with David W. Hegg’s latest column — dated Saturday, June 9 — titled “Best to learn how to figure out forgiveness.” My beef centers around my belief that forgiveness is always wrong from both sides of the parties. That is, wrong from the one needing forgiveness as well as the one who was wronged. See, forgiveness produces a mental clean slate, as it were, which allows both parties to feel free to commit their transactions over again. Without forgiveness, both parties really take a measure of correction in not committing the vile action again.

However, Mr. Hegg holds the opposite opinion of mine; that is, he states that both parties via time must forgive in order to right the wrong of the transaction that led to his forgiveness being needed in the first place. Yes, indeed, I say forget all about any and all forms of forgiveness, for forgiveness, as I say, clears the mental slate, and that clearness allows one to feel free to project more of the same wrong actions. In fact, people learn to correct their mistakes from never having a sense of forgiveness given to them.

Furthermore, the one who would be the forgiver, must not forgive in his heart, if you will, for by doing so, an injury is created, that injury consisting of allowing a clean mental slate of the transgressor to feel vindicated, and hence, a good probability that the transaction will be committed again — and again, and again.

Thus, I say both parties are wrong to forgive, unlike what David W. Hegg suggests in his column. Wrong is wrong, Mr. Hegg, and forgiveness, as I say, only leads to more of the same evil transactions, for I know from my experiences in 66 years aboard the planet.

Robert W. Burton
Santa Clarita

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