An old-time comedian, Flip Wilson, used to quip, “The devil made me do it.”  If this is true, then if I behave badly and “the devil made me do it,” there is no need for others to forgive me because I was not the one who made the injustice happen, right?

Well, I disagree.  We have to remember that Flip Wilson was a comedian.  He was being funny in this quip.  Because of your free will, being tempted to unjust behavior by others does not make the tempter the one who is exclusively culpable in the unjust act.  As you give into temptation, your free will created an intention to act, and then a free will decision to act upon the intention.  You, then, are guilty of wrongdoing and can and should seek forgiveness.

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