Example Of Forgiveness Research Paper

Simon Wiesenthal could have not forgiven for the six million that died. Karl could have never “put a Jewish survivor in the impossible moral position of offering forgiveness implicitly in the name of the 6 million” (Fisher,132). Karl (the dying nazi) couldn't have asked Simon for forgiveness because he's only one out of the 6 million that died. That’s like Donald Trump asking 1 Mexican for forgiveness for all the Mexicans. Also “placing a jew in this position further victimizes him or her” (Fisher). Putting a Jew in this position makes them weaker than what they already are. Karl asked Simon for forgiveness but “only the victims were in position to forgive; and they are put to death” (Fleischner 140). Karl shouldn’t have asked Simon for forgiveness because he didn’t do anything wrong. Karl should have asked the people that he had murdered but it was too late.

Alan L. Berger, a Professor of the Holocaust and Religion, expresses in The Sunflower that Simon even though being an imprisoned jew could not take the apology on the behalf others. He refers to Judaism that there are two types of sins; one against god and one against another human. Berger states about forgiveness that ‘I may forgive one who has sinned against me. I may

He says, “ It is also a question of how much, how quickly, how easily can any individual forgive a mass murderer”(Sven 102). This quote emphasis that it is not that much easy to forgive someone. By forgiving them, they bring down the values of the crimes that were committed. If they bring down the value of the crimes, it would mean it was okay to kill a person’s family or friends. This would result in more crimes, murdering people's family and friends. This was another reason why Simon wouldn't forgive Karl because he didn’t want to make it seem like it was okay to be a part of mass genocide. Moshe Bejski discussed in his essay why people shouldn't be forgiven of their crimes. Forgiving someone is very hard even when regret is involved, “No matter what, regret never pardons crimes…” (Moshe 117). As he says, even after committing the crimes and thereafter regretting it, it’s not okay to forgive someone. Forgiveness is hard because it would betray the memory of millions of innocent victims who were murdered, and it would question the validity of what happen. Forgiving someone who committed the crimes would be a crime

The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal is a story about forgiveness and choices. The main character, Simon, is a Jew imprisoned in a concentration camp during World War 2. One day while he is working he is approached by a nurse who takes him to a dying SS man who would like to receive forgiveness for his crimes from a Jew before he dies. Here Simon must make the difficult choice of either forgiving the dying man or leaving without granting his dying wish. This novel has been read and analyzed by many since it presents a thought provoking question, what would someone else had done if presented with the same challenge. But before this question can be answered there are more factors that must be analyzed, for example what does it mean to forgive, who has the right to forgive, are there actions that are unforgivable, and what is “given” when forgiveness is granted.

Eleven million people died in the Holocaust, of that number six million were Jews. Those that did not perish had a significant number of heinous war crimes committed against them. In the aftermath many ask: should one forgive these inhumane monstrous actions, if confessed to? The Sunflower examines the difficult topic of forgiveness amongst genocide in Simon Wiesenthal’s direct experience and through various other individual responses to the same scenario; these various responses illustrate the major arguments in favor of forgiveness and against forgiveness. It was through these examinations that I was able to conclude how I might have acted if I had been in a similar position to Wiesenthal.

Some say that because he has suffered so much, from the pain of both his injury and his guilt, and shows how he is repentful for his actions, Karl deserves forgiveness, but that is not so, for Simon is in no place to give it. Simon is neither a priest, nor a representative of the Jewish people, and he cannot forgive him for his crimes against an entire group. According to Alan L. Berger, the Director of Jewish Studies and teacher in the Department of Religion at Syracuse University, Judaism teaches that, “[He] may not forgive one who has taken the life of another” (qtd. in Wiesenthal 119). Wiesenthal was not personally affected by Karl. Knowing that how could Wiesenthal rightfully forgive this man, when even his faith gives does not allow him to. Though he does deserve sympathy, simply being remorseful does not necessarily make him deserving of forgiveness. While it holds merit that Karl is truly repentful, Wiesenthal is just in no place to forgive him.

Simon Wiesenthal asks an incredibly difficult question to the reader in the book The Sunflower. There is so much to consider when answering this question, and I don’t think there is a singular “right” answer. The first thing that I take into account is that I am not Jewish myself, and I am not very religious either, so I don’t believe my answer can be as important or valid as the answer of a person who is Jewish or was directly affected by the Holocaust. If I were to put myself in Simon’s shoes, I would want to forgive Karl for his actions, no matter how horrible they were, but I don’t think that I would be the person who should be forgiving him. I believe that Karl may have been able to realize the true damage that his actions caused and that

The motivation and tendency of people to forgive others remains an important topic of discussion. In today’s society most people at some period have experienced feeling of un forgiveness towards friend, or relatives. “Forgiveness was defined as the ability to relinquish of resentment towards others” (Baskin & Enright, 2004, p. 80).

As one grows from infant to adult an even elderly age, we experience many events in life. One only grows from mistakes that are inevitable to happen. Like the Yin Yang theory, for instance, shadow cannot exist without light. Therefor forgiveness comes into play, it is defined as the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven. In The Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness. It discusses the moral ethics of the matter of forgiveness. Questions are asked by Wiesenthal, what would you do? If a dying Nazi soldier asks for your forgiveness? Forgiveness can often be influenced by religious belief, psychological, and political point of view, one is always capable of asking for forgiveness or granting forgiveness to another, granted or not, one makes a choice and lives with that decision.

Life has ups and downs, it may stab you in the back, but it’s a choice to forgive and forget about it. Forgiveness is something that helps people move on. For every person, the word forgiveness has a different meaning, for me it means leaving behind actions from my past. Personally, I like to think that forgiveness is a way to start over whether in a friendship or in life. If the opportunity presented itself to me to explain the word, forgiveness, to someone I would simply reply that it is the idea of setting yourself free from all the hate one has been holding.

First off, Karl should not be forgiven because Wiesenthal had no right to forgive him. Wiesenthal wasn’t affected by the crimes Karl committed, “ then another truck came full of more Jews and they too were crammed into the house with the others”. (Wiesenthal,41). Wiesenthal was not one of these Jews that was thrown into the house to burn. Therefor, he has no right to forgive Karl because he didn’t feel the pain the Jews did. Also, Wiesenthal isn't in position to forgive Karl because he has not “suffered nothing because of him, and it follows that what he has done to other people you are in no position to forgive”.(Wiesenthal,65). Wiesenthal has no right to forgive Karl because he wasn't the one that was affected by his actions. He has no rights

Forgiveness is letting go; whether it be letting go of small things or big things, it helps people move on. Each person has their own definition of what forgiveness truly means. Its logical for people to be forgiven because no matter what they do, they're human; humans make mistakes. It can be hard not to forgive, but it's also necessary to put away your differences and reunite with former enemies. It makes sense to ask for forgiveness.

Some claim that the SS soldier had no right to refer to the Jewish man when asking for forgiveness, because it is almost as if the soldier is labeling this man as a Jew. In asking Simon for forgiveness, the SS soldier is saying that he still looks at Simon and the Jewish population as the lesser, but he wants to have been forgiven. As well as the fact that the soldier just wants peace before he dies. Rodger Kamenetz says that people like Simon were not looked at as an equal person, but as a Jew. Every Jew was unfortunately labeled and

The dance of forgiveness is six steps to be transformed from being a selfish self-absorbed human being. To being a person full of grace and accepting of everyone. The first step is truth telling. This helps build trust between people groups and starts on the path to a relationship. The second step is acknowledging anger. A person should not try to hide their emotions even if it may be an emotion of anger. To get rid of it is by bringing it out in the light and praying for God to help you with the anger. The third step is having concern for others. One of the ways of understanding someone else is to think how life would be in their shoes. Having a genuine concern for someone besides yourself can change a person’s, heart. The fourth step is recognizing, remembering, and repenting. As humans, we need to recognize what we have done wrong and not pass off blame to others and repent for what we have done. The fifth step is

Forgiveness is not just practiced by saints and not only benefits its recipients but have strong connection with person’s physical, mental and spiritual health. It plays a great role in the health of families, communities and nations. Forgiveness provides common ground for love, acceptance, harmony and true happiness Most spiritual and religious leaders of the world will agree that forgiveness of oneself and others is one way to clear the mind, heart and soul and may result in a feeling of increased peace and happiness.