Freewill,
This post about forgiveness and what the minister said to really kind of stuck in my head last night. I couldn't help thinking about what forgiveness really means to me and if I could really offer it to a pedophile. It also caused me to question if the forgiveness the minister was talking about and the forgiveness that we can give are really the same.

I think that the concept of forgiveness that the church promotes is an ideal (forgive them for they know not what they do) and may not be actually achievable by everyone. NOR SHOULD IT BE EXPECTED of mere mortals.

I thought about this a lot last night. I think in my own personal case of abuse, I have been able to forgive my abusers. I don't think this is because I am some incredibly enlightened person. In my case the forgiveness was made a lot easier because the people who abused me were abused kids themselves and when I look at their lives now I see that they have reaped the full wrath of what did. I think also I was blessed to have others in my life who showed me that love and compassion although imperfect and inconsistent does exist in this world. My abuse is nothing compared to what you have endured.

If I was abused by adults (who in my opinion regardless of their upbring should be held accountable for their actions), or if my abusers had not paid a heavy societal price for their actions, or had not acknowledged or shown remorse,or it they continue to prey and abuse others, then NO WAY would I be ready to forgive them. In this case reason and logic are not enough for forgiveness. A belief in a Higher Power that is a lot deeper than what I currently have would be necessary.

Freewill despite what these individuals did to you, you are loved and you deserved (deserve) a lot better. I hope that minister realizes that it is not his place to tell anyone but himself if forgiveness should be given to someone. I'm praying today that the people around you show you how much you matter to them.