I feel uncomfortable saying that I have forgiven when the one who hurt me has not apologized. It seems incomplete. What do you think?
What is incomplete in this case is a genuine reconciliation with the person. Forgiveness, as a moral virtue, can be willingly practiced by anyone at any time, as is the case with any of the moral virtues. As an analogy, suppose you want to be fair to people, giving them what they deserve. Your boss is overly demanding and, in this intemperance, is unfair to you. You can still be fair to the boss, giving a fair day’s effort for a fair day’s wage, even when the other is not reciprocating the justice. It is the same with forgiveness. You can have mercy on those who acted unfairly, even if they refuse to cooperate with an apology.
Please follow and like us:
