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Showing results for tags 'forgivenes'.
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A situation I've been pondering about recently... A story to relate. Many years ago there were three friends. We'll name them Larry, Curly, and Moe. Larry had a terrible grudge with Curly. A girl that Larry had been dating broke up with Larry and started to date Curly. Larry planned to kill Curly and did so in front of Moe and others. He basically beat Curly very badly and later on Curly died of these injuries in the hospital. Larry was sentenced to life in prison. To this day, Larry refuses to admit guilt. He has always stated he is innocent and played no hand in Curly's death. So, here's the dilemma that I have tried to figure out. Moe has, in their mind, forgiven Larry. They've tried to say they hold nothing against Larry, but they WANT Larry to pay for the crimes that he committed. He would like Larry to simply admit that he did wrong, and that Larry should try to go through the repentance process which includes admission of guilt, asking for forgiveness, and trying to do what they can to repay what was lost. Larry has always pleaded innocent. Moe is very disturbed by this. He feels he has forgiven Larry, he has visited Larry in prison, and even tried to help him in various prison costs and other areas. However, he still very much wants Larry to admit guilt. That Larry does not do this makes Moe WANT Larry to do it even more. Thus, Moe feels like he has forgiven Larry, but he's not sure. This is because Moe cannot forget what Larry did. Instead of forgetting it completely, he wants Larry to admit what he did. He is willing to see Larry as his friend still, and do what he can for him, but he cannot simply include the forget portion in forgiveness. To do so before Larry has repented would be wrong and do a disservice to Curly's memory. However, he states he has forgiven Larry, tells Larry he has forgiven him but feels he needs to pay the price for the crime, but he still loves Larry as a friend. So, this would be Moe's question, has he forgiven Larry? Then we add another complication to the story. Larry was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His son is also a member of the church. Larry has been excommunicated. I do not see him ever being rebaptized in this lifetime. His son wishes to know what happens to the children born in the covenant. Who will they be sealed to? If their father is irreparably done and never going to be able to qualify for the Celestial glory, what happens to the sealing covenant? Larry now falls in the boundaries of a Bishop and has both of these talking to that Bishop about this. What type of things should the Bishop tell them? Should he simply refer them back to their own wards, or how should the Bishop deal with these types of questions? Of more direct relation, when faced with unrepentant individuals who will continue to do the sin or hurt you, when you forgive, how do you know if you've actually forgiven them? Even if you try with all your heart, when the hurt continues, even if you say and try to act as if you've forgiven them, the hurt continues. How do you know that in your heart you have truly forgiven them and when is it enough? Just a pondering of mine.
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- forgivenes
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