Guilt and Forgiveness

Perhaps the hardest things we have to do in our lives are summed up in two words: repent and forgive. Is there forgiveness for the man who raped and murdered a seven year old girl? Is there forgiveness for the one who is responsible for the millions of Jews and other people who died in concentration camps? Is there forgiveness for the husband, who for 30 years neglected the needs of his wife? This research paper is not only the endeavor to present the view that there is forgiveness, but also why it is important to forgive, and what tremendous effects the decision to not forgive has on the physical and spiritual life of the individual, the family, and the community. The last part of this paper includes a practical step-by-step ‘how to forgive’ paradigm. However, first I want to show how guilt and forgiveness are related to each other.