Posted by floatingbridge on April 2, 2011, at 17:21:17
I once heard the Dali Lama talk about how he once did something that jeopardized another person's well-being and safety in occupied Tibet. (In late 1950-something.)
The U.S. citizen interviewing asked if he had *forgiven* himself. Oh no, he said. [Begin massive paraphrasing ] IHe thinks about it every day and will never leave it
behind. He lives with it and the feelings it may invoke on any given day.(He did not know anymore about the person he may have compromised.)
I am very taken by what struck me about his viewpoint: the idea about moving on,
leaving it behind, cutting ties, etc sounds so sensible, but.... It is also such a Westeren concern. I wouldn't give a fig except I always get stuck there. I don't move on well. So I welcomed the view of living with something. Forgiveness as living with something while preventing further harm.While reading Tintin comics with my kid, one hot-tempered character suggested ejecting some traitors into mid-space to meet certain doom. Oxygen was strictly rationed; there was not enough to get to Earth. Why not eliminate the traitors and insure everyone else's survival?
No, said Tintin, we must uphold civility* to the end. (I love you Tintin!) Later he said to the real traitor (who was pressed into spying because of debts inccured through compulsive gambling) that he
forgave him, and welcomed him to retake his place amongst them.(My kid was wondering why my eyes were tearing up....)
*civility according to the laws governing the Tintin comics by Herge. ; )*a rose by any name
poster:floatingbridge
thread:981754
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20110111/msgs/981754.html