Forgiveness In An Age of Hate
Categories: News, Opinion
Shit man, you wouldn’t catch me doing that. Hugging my brother’s murderer and telling them I forgive them. But he did. Brandt Jean, the brother of Botham Jean who was killed by Amber Guyger hugged her after her sentencing and said that he forgave her.
That man has a bigger heart and more love in it than I do, that’s for damn sure. Also, it’s a miraculous thing to see this day and age with the usual knee jerk hateful and vitriolic overreactions we see. Someone who legitimately had everyone reason to hate this woman forgave her.
It’s been said forgiveness is not for the perpetrator of the crime, but rather for the individual doing the forgiving. That it heals to soul to rid oneself of any malice towards another human being. It’s also been said that to show forgiveness is weak. That it removes the feeling of guilt from the guilty party or that it tacitly endorses their behavior.
Fuck. I honestly don’t know what else to say. I’m sure I’ll come up with something, but…in my life at least, as it probably is in yours…your willingness to forgive is based on the severity of your “injury”. No use crying over spilled milk type of reaction. No harm no foul, you get total forgiveness. But…this woman murdered Brant Jean’s brother. After seeing the various testimonies and all the evidence, this event should never have happened.
This is about the most nothing piece I feel, because I can’t really say if he’s right, wrong, or otherwise. It was his choice to do this, and objectively I see the merit, but I also see the merit on the opposing view. Truly, I am torn, so I’ll ask. Where do you guys stand on this? I don’t think anyone can be wrong with how they answer this question.
I’m glad that Brandt was able to have the strength to forgive her. I also feel like she got a slap on the wrist. So…where are we with this?
Forgiveness is for the forgiver. Not forgiving someone and carrying a grudge is like drinking poison and hoping the ‘someone’ gets sick from it. In some cases, the offender may not even know or realize they need forgiven. Remember that nun in 2nd grade that smacked knuckles with her ruler? She was doing her job and has NO Idea that she hurt anyone. Not forgiving her is not hurting her in any way, but it eats away at our insides.
Forgiving murder is definitely a higher level, but the premise is the same. Brandt can move forward and put the anger behind him and remember his brother with joyfulness.
He is a Christian. He has a relationship with Jesus which gives him the ability to forgive. Compassion and forgiveness become part of your DNA when you give your life to Christ. This guys testimony on the witness stand is what that looks like.
Man I sure do know what you’re sayin! If I may Fam…. I was in Dallas and have a brother who’s been in law enforcement for almost 30 years there in Dallas and the Metro area. As part of the investigation, they interviewed almost every resident that lives in that complex. The question asked to all of them was something like, “how easy or how many times have you walked into the wrong apartment?” Almost all of them responded with “all the time.” The judge never allowed that evidence into the court. So I felt just like you until my brother told me that. So every time I see that pic or video, I ask myself, was that hug because of what they knew was omitted from the court, or was that a true display of forgiveness? Great article and love my recently purchased hoodies! My red Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
Any more I see stuff like this and I can’t help but feel like it’s all bs. Maybe this one individual is that forgiving, but I know if it were my sister, I’d want to break a broom handle off in her ass and then beat her head into the floor. Call me a pessimist but this kind of thing just makes me think that the forgiver is just trying to show people how “good” they are. You can choose to move forward and never give this person another second of your time or energy, and you can choose not to let your life be ruled with hatred and bitterness, but in my opinion there is no true forgiveness for someone who does something like this to you. Drop the holier-than-thou attitude bro it’s okay to want her to rot in a dark hole forever.