May I disagree with your definition of forgiving? You say that it is offering mercy to the one who was unjust, but one dictionary I consulted said that it is remitting punishment. So, I am confused.
Those who write dictionary definitions of something as deep as forgiveness do not necessarily get it right by offering one quick sentence. To remit a punishment is often seen as pardon, not forgiveness. For example, a judge in a court of law who cancels a parking ticket even though the person is guilty is offering pardon, in this case, legal pardon. If all a forgiver does is cancel punishment, this can be done for any number of reasons, including the harsh judgement that the offending person is so low in humanity that he just does not understand what justice actually is. This condemnation of the other’s humanity is hardly a moral virtue, as forgiveness is.
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