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Forgiveness.  What is it? 

This link HERE will take you to the page where you can take the FORGIVENESS QUIZ – How Forgiving Are You?

(read more HERE)

I just watched another movie on Netflix (streaming):  The Power of Forgiveness.  If you click on this title it takes you to the official movie website which includes such info as —

“THE POWER of FORGIVENESS explores recent research into the psychological and physical effects of forgiveness on individuals and within relationships under a wide variety of conditions and translates it into a popular, accessible documentary film for national public television. This includes feature stories on the Amish, the 9/11 tragedy and peace-building in Northern Ireland, along with interviews with renowned Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, best-selling authors Thomas Moore and Marianne Williamson and others. The film also explores the role forgiveness holds in various faiths traditions. It provides an honest look at the intensity of anger and grief that human nature is heir to. We see in the film that there are transgressions people find themselves unwilling or unable to forgive. Through character-driven stories the film shows the role forgiveness can play in alleviating anger and grief and the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that come with it.

Forgiveness and Justice

Dr Everett (“Ev”) Worthington is a professor of psychology who has published over 20 books on forgiveness, marriage, and family topics. But his experience with forgiveness comes not just from study and research. He’s had some first-hand experience with forgiveness.

On a New Year’s Eve about ten years ago someone broke into his mother’s house. An attempted theft turned into a brutal murder when his mother fought back. A suspect was captured who volunteered details no one could have known who wasn’t at the scene. But because of “some issues with the evidence,” a jury wouldn’t indict.

Within six months of her murder Ev and his two siblings forgave the person who killed their mother. He admits that he had a lot of professional preparation. .He had studied forgiveness scientifically and therapeutically for years before the incident. But ultimately he felt that they were able to forgive because by doing so they were honoring the values their mother had tried to instill in them.

He tries to teach his students today that forgiveness is not something that comes after justice has been accomplished. Indeed, he never got justice. But he firmly believes that forgiveness and justice can work hand in hand.”

HERE IS A PAGE OF FORGIVENESS OUTREACH TOOLS – including –

The material collected here is designed to encourage individuals, families and communities of all kinds to use The POWER of FORGIVENESS as a focus for reflection and discussion. The film provides an honest look at the intensity of anger and grief that human nature is heir to.  It is essentially seven short stories about forgiveness and an examination of the role forgiveness can play in alleviating anger and grief. It shows the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that come with forgiveness.

We have included simple tips for conversation leaders, links to specially commissioned articles with discussion questions to help promote fuller engagement with the issues raised in the film, and a PDF-formatted mini-poster to build awareness of the broadcast and to promote your conversations.

Articles

• A Jewish Perspective on Forgiveness (pdf)
• A Politics of Forgiveness: A Catholic Perspective (pdf)
• Forgiving Oneself (pdf)
• The Power of Forgiveness in Action (pdf)
• Forgiveness and Buddhism (pdf)
• Forgiveness is learned, taught, rehearsed (pdf)
• Forgiving Another Person (pdf)
• The Power of FORGIVENESS (pdf)
• Promoting forgiveness in the family (pdf)
• FORGIVING YOUR SPOUSE (pdf)
• The Forgiveness Journey Ain’t Easy (pdf)
• Forgiveness and Justice (pdf)

THIS PAGE – click here – IS FULL OF ALL KINDS OF FORGIVENESS RESOURCE INFO!!

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Movie review: ‘The Power of Forgiveness’

Finding the space between human and divine

by Maureen M. Hart November 28, 2007

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This movie is worth watching for anyone who knows about troubles that traumas can cause.  I will watch it again – maybe several more times (I can listen to it like radio, too).  Forgiveness is a mystery to me.  There was NO forgiveness in my home of origin.  I learned nothing about it.  Instead, I learned about its opposite.

Even for all the viewpoints presented in the film the mystery for me was not removed from the topic.  If readers would comment to this post if they watch the movie – I would most sincerely like that.

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