In the New Testament gospels, Jesus suggests a most remarkable thing--that we forgive each other, that we forgive everything, everyone. Even those who are our enemies we should not only forgive but we also should love. He does not suggest that we act as if we forgive or act as if we love our most cruel enemies; according to the principles of this New Testament, we should actually forgive every terrible thing done to us, actually love the people who do those terrible things to us. (Mark 11:26) "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Now here, I think, is a truly important point: no excuse is made for those evil acts that we are to forgive. Jesus does not say to forgive people because they don't mean you any harm, their evil is unintentional, or they're not really evil at heart. Nowhere is there any suggestion that people don't do things out of pure cruelty. They do. Forgive them. (Matthew 5:44) "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despiteful use you, and persecute you."

This is not the version of Christianity that most people have been hearing about for all these years. The version most people had heard about is more like the ideas in A Course in Miracles, where no one really means to hurt, it's all a big misunderstanding, so we can all forgive each other and go from there. That idea is not in the gospels.

I've seen no other statement so bold in any faith. Taoism places no value on judgements of good and evil; there are no evil acts. Buddha would tell us we're born to suffer, our wounded feelings are our own failing; with discipline we can gain a detachment from the whole situation and not be so easily hurt by these acts. Islam certainly doesn't teach this kind of forgiveness.

Think of the worst, most cruel act that anyone has ever perpetrated against you. Think of the person who deliberately set out to make your life a living Hell. Think of any cruel, petty, mean-spirited thing that has ever been done to you. Could you forgive to the extent that you would go out of your way to do a particularly troublesome favor for that person? Could you forgive with the same willingness, the same completeness, that you'd forgive an unintentional slight from your usually so thoughtful, loving, innocent child? There really are no degrees of forgiveness; you do or you don't.

As Jesus hanged dying upon the cross, bleeding from many wounds and beatings, his lungs gasping for air he spoke these words to his executioners (Luke 23:34) "Father forgive them; for they know not what they do."

That Christianity, at its core which is the New Testament rather than as it is often practiced, requires humans to forgive each other with full knowledge of the evil intentions that can dwell in another's heart is unprecedented among faiths. There are no excuses for the things done to you, but we must forgive them anyway.

I have never learned of a worthier struggle.

In Christ Jesus,

Dale Thompson