Is it time for us all to forgive and be forgiven?

 

Bill Knight column for 3-25, 26 or 27, 2021

 An Illinois friend recently had an intriguing, maybe inspiring, suggestion. Instead of disagreement or revenge, we all could seek common ground and forgiveness.

“The President could appear before a joint session of Congress and call for a National Week of Forgiveness,” he says.

That seems like a meaningful but “safe” notion so apolitical it surely would be supported by not only Democrats and Republicans, but Greens and Libertarians, Democratic Socialists and Proud Boys.

Some may mock the proposition. Fine. Turn the other cheek.

It’s sincere, coming from a man with various talents. The semi-pro humorist and long-time health professional has seen some people almost die laughing, and he’s witnessed others literally die.

He has some useful perspective.

The time has come, he says, for forgiveness. On a personal and universal scale.

“We can begin to nurture and heal ourselves by taking a week to look inward toward our own shame and regret,” he continues. “Insist that we all seek out someone we have wronged and seek their forgiveness. The President could ask that no one seeking forgiveness be rebuked. As it is commanded in Scripture: Forgive me as I forgive others.

“Then we can look at the bigger task of shifting the narrative from grievances to accountability for one another as fellow citizens of a nation under God.”

Maybe it’s past time, he adds.

“Our current circumstances as a nation scream out a spiritual deficiency that is destroying our ability to summon the will to live by the core principles that are supposed to define us as Americans,” he says. “Absent a collective belief in what we are about and who we want to be, we're screwed – and so is this beautiful experiment called democracy.

“If we could just dial down the spin and vitriol, we might still survive this madness.”

Imagine: The event could dominate media, dinner-table conversation and Zoom visits for days, and maybe even extend thinking and feelings from foreign leaders and everyday people, friends and foes.

Perhaps Biden is the right person at the right time, too. His Catholicism holds forgiveness (Reconciliation) as one of its seven sacraments. And people may disagree with some of Biden’s policies or proposals, but most appreciate his sincerity. His approval rating is 61%, according to findings this month by the nonpartisan Center for American Political Studies at Harvard and the Harris Poll.

Besides a neutral tone akin to the National Prayer Breakfast or coast-to-coast days of mourning, a National Week of Forgiveness should appeal to all organized religions, too. Already, faith leaders practice the act and value its wisdom.

During Pope Francis’ trip to war-torn Iraq this month, he visited the ruined city of Mosul and commented, “Our human cruelty is unbelievable,” and THEN he offered a short prayer for the war’s victims AND terrorists.

With the Pope there, Muslim historian Omar Mohammed said, “The only way to live in peace with yourself is to tolerate the other. Sectarianism will lead to destruction and violence.”

 Mahatma Gandhi, born Hindu, once commented, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Judaism’s Talmud says God created repentance before He created the universe.

Buddhism’s head monk, the Dalai Lama, said, “All major religious traditions carry basically the same message; that is love, compassion and forgiveness – the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.”

Can that grow from a week? Say, in May? Surely there’s room along with National Wildflower Week and Small Business Week (both the first part of the month), with Nurses Week (May 6-12) and National Police Week (the following week).

After forgiveness week wraps up, resulting good will might encourage leaders, my friend continues, like Biden asking Congress to “choose one problem with a broad scope from a list he would provide, and find a solution for the good of the people.”

Health care? Infrastructure? Homelessness?

“Prove to the people that you're worthy of your positions of power by doing your job,” says my friend, whose smile is as wide as his heart is huge,

“Maybe I'm crazy,” he adds. “But I think in this era of unprecedented fear and uncertainty, people are looking for true strength, not bravado.”