What Is Your Goal When You Forgive?

Here is your multiple choice exam for the question above:

Please check all that apply to you.

I forgive:

• to feel better
• to repair a relationship
• to grow in character because forgiveness makes me a better person
• to be of help to the one who hurt me
• to show my children, or others who are important to me, that forgiveness is important
• to help even in a little way to make a better world, which forgiving others does by reducing conflict and trying to create more peace
• to exercise goodness as an end in and of itself because forgiveness is good
• to honor my religious tradition which highly values forgiving
• to love because to forgive on its deepest level is to love another who is not loving me, at least in terms of the actions of unfairness

How many did you choose and why?

If you had to choose only one which typically characterizes you, which one is that?

If you had to choose only one which you think is the morally highest reason for forgiving, which one would you choose?

On which of the nine choices do you need to train your mind and heart more strongly so that you can consistently see, appreciate, and practice this one?

Robert

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