...the topic of forgiveness Chasity Webster PSY 400 Martin Methodist College Forgiveness is one of the most compassionate things that we can do for one another. The term is greatly misinterpreted and because of this it is not often given in the truest sense of the word. Forgiveness requires finding and feeling compassion and then being able to let go of anxiety, anger and yearning for revenge. Letting go of grudges and bitterness can make way for compassion, kindness and peace. In an article reviewing compassion, the authors define compassion as the feeling that arises in witnessing another’s suffering and that motivates a subsequent desire to help. The definition theorizes compassion as an affective state defined by a specific independent feeling, and it differs from treatment of compassion as an attitude (Goetz & et. al 2010). According to Webster’s Third Edition, to forgive is to cease to feel resentment against, on accord of wrong committed, to give up claim to requital from or retribution upon an offender, to absolve; pardon. Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you might always remain a part of your life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you. Forgiveness doesn't mean that you deny the other person's responsibility for hurting...
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...ENABLING FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION IN FAMILY THERAPY Interpersonal conflicts are almost inevitable within families. The closeness and intensity of family relationships along with differences among family members in knowledge, desires, values, abilities, etc., account for much of this turmoil. Family members are often deeply hurt in the course of their conflicts and sometimes there is a significant breach of trust, Occasionally a family member will consider a certain offence unforgivable and will not seek reconciliation. Usually, however, family members try to recover a sense of personal and relationship wellbeing by endeavoring to forgive and reconcile. This can be a long and arduous process. Therapists are often consulted to facilitate such healing. My purpose in writing this paper is to share my understanding of some of the complexities involved. The perspective that I adopt is a social constructionist or ‘bringforthist’ stance. I assume that through caring conversation, it. is possible to bring forth preferred ways of thinking and interacting that can lead to forgiveness and reconciliation. MUTUAL HURTS The duration and effects of any particular conflict between family members depends on how differences are managed in the nuances of ongoing family interaction: Conflicts vary from brief disagreements that are hardly noticeable, to extremely destructive emotional and physical battles that last for years. During any major episode of conflict, all parties involved tend...
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...Abstract: Humanitarian crises and international politics goes hand in hand. One can cause the other, while the only way to fix the other is to rely on politics. This paper will highlight the cause of genocide, violent massacres and crisis, how to solve them, and key roles politicians and nations must take up wholeheartedly in order to make a difference. Personal and political reconciliation must occur in the parties involved ever want to have a mutual co existence. Humanitarian Crisis and Reconciliation To understand the impact of humanitarian crises and how international politics play a role, a common definition of such crises must be understood. In his book “Humanitarian Crises and the International Politics of Selectivity” Martin Binder defines a humanitarian crisis as a “large scale human suffering resulting from the violation or the destruction of the physical integrity of a large number of people” (pg. 332). There are quite a few causes of these events that include natural disasters-earthquakes floods, winds, landslides, avalanches, cyclones, tsunamis, locust infestations, drought, volcanic eruptions, changes in weather or tidal patterns. Human factors include political corruption, embargoes or blockades, lack of planning or foresight, and not to mention demographic and geographic characteristics like population density. Of the major causes, the majority of them come from natural disasters but the one cause that can arguably be the most...
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...Retributive theories of justice argue that punishment should be imposed for the crimes committed and the severity of the punishment should be proportionate to the seriousness of the crime. More than often, retributive punishment is confused with ideas of vengeance. It is generally argued that in case of retributive punishment, no limit can be set for revenge which thereby makes such revenge personal whereas the person administering such punishment may well have no personal connection with the victim. An affordable alternative to the retributive justice system is the restorative justice practices which can be considered unique in its emphasis on not just one component of the criminal justice system such as punishment, but as incorporating victims,...
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...Does rumination hinder forgiveness in the context of an interpersonal transgression? Forgiveness theory has been widely researched in the social psychology arena in recent years. The role of rumination in forgiveness has received much attention, with several important studies by prominent researchers attempting to measure its effect. A dominant theoretical perspective on the relationship between rumination and forgiveness in the literature suggests that rumination is detrimental to forgiveness, and that changes in rumination are the antecedent to changes in forgiveness. This paper outlines the prevailing theoretical perspectives on this relationship and presents a critical analysis of a selection of influential studies and their conclusions. An alternative theoretical perspective is introduced and some limitations of the current studies, as well as suggestions for further research, are made. In order to understand the relationship between rumination and forgiveness, these terms need to be defined. Whilst no single agreed upon definition exists, there are a set of common elements that underlie these constructs. Rumination can be broadly described as a cognitive process involving conscious repetitive thoughts which revolve around a common theme, and are present even in the absence of immediate environmental demands requiring those thoughts (Martin & Tesser, 1996). Nolen-Hoeksema, Wisco and Lyubomirsky (2008) conceptualise rumination as a way of responding to distress involving...
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...N V Professor Bayer English 1202 AO 25 April 2011 Revenge and Forgiveness Revenge and forgiveness are the two underlying factors that are present throughout the entirety of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. The play is begun with the death of Hamlet’s father, which Hamlet finds to be unsettling from the start. Hamlet’s uncle Claudius then takes over the throne while Hamlet’s mother then marries his uncle. It is then that the ghost of his father, tells Hamlet that the very man who had become king murdered him in cold blood; the ghost brings the idea of revenge to Hamlet’s mind (Shakespeare 1547). While revenge is constantly on his mind throughout the play, there is also the idea that Hamlet must forgive those who have done wrongs to him or his family; this is shown through his dedication to religion. But in the end, Hamlet’s internal need to seek revenge for his father’s death is so great that he is ultimately unable to forgive his uncle. The play begins with the sudden death of Hamlet’s father, and his uncle Claudius, his father’s brother, taking the throne (Shakespeare 1550). Hamlet’s mother chooses to marry Claudius just days after the death of Hamlet’s father, and Prince Hamlet expresses his disgust through his soliloquies, where he exclaims, “Frailty, thy name is woman!” (Shakespeare 1553). After some time, Hamlet is brought out to a forest by two guards who have claimed to see the ghost of his father. After some deliberation, the ghost of Hamlet’s...
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...Introduction The Old Testament is replete with stories of revenge that embody Lex Talonis, a concept loosely translated from Latin to mean “an eye for an eye”. It is not surprising, therefore, that throughout the entire book of Genesis we find only two accounts of reconciliation between feuding siblings: Jacob’s reunion with his brother Esau (Gen ); and Joseph’s act of mercy towards his brothers (Gen 45: 1-28). Apart from these two episodes, in the only other instance of sibling rivalry we find in Genesis ends with Cain’s tragic murder of his brother Abel (Gen). Even within the two reconciliatory narratives represented in Genesis, Joseph’s story is the sole one with a truly respectable outcome (Genesis 45: 1-28). Esau’s and Jacob’s relationship remained strained even after the brothers ended their feud, with each going their own separate way and subsequently establishing independent communities: the Israelites (Jacob); and the Edomites (Esau). It would seem justifiable had Joseph sought to settle scores with his brothers for having beaten him, left him in a pit to die and ultimately sold him to Egyptian slavers. However, notwithstanding the pain inflicted upon him by his brothers, Joseph chose the path of forgiveness and used his influence in Egypt to ensure his family would survive the famine. The reconciliation narrative in Genesis 45 is the first...
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...Forgiving But Not Forgetting Calling the Holocaust a crime against humanity may be more than fitting, but to say that it is unforgivable may be a slight stretch. Simon Weisenthal's, The Sunflower, discusses the author's experience in the concentration camps during the Nazi Germany era and how a dying S.S. officer, Karl Seidl, changed his perspective on the Nazis as a whole. Forgiveness is understanding the offender’s actions and leaving the past behind to make for a better future as it is the more humane thing to do; for instance, something that Simon had done when he met Karl’s mother, allowing her to think of her son as a peaceful young man. Understanding an action is a large step in the concept of forgiveness because recognizing the events that took place is what allows the brain to process the information and contemplate the reasoning behind the action. According to Sven Alkalaj, a responder to Simon, “without recognition of what happened, there can never be forgiveness” (103). A person can easily say they would never forgive an S.S. officer, that would be the initial response. However, if we were to think about why those soldiers did what they did, we may understand the desire to protect family, fit in, and avoid suspicion during a fascist regime. The Stanford Prison Experiment conducted By Philip Zimbardo, illustrates how under the right conditions and enough peer pressure, even the average college student can have a sadistic side to them. Although, the S.S....
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...is of a Holocaust survivor who spoke about the bitterness that remains in himself about Nazi’s treated him and other POW’s, “If you could lick my heart, it would poison you” (Thomas). To some, crimes like the Holocaust may seem unforgivable, from a religious aspect, it is a Christian obligation. But many could argue that one cannot commit such cruelty and evil and simply be forgiven, so crimes like the holocaust may seem unforgiveable but it is evident by many researchers and scholars that in fact they have found that forgiveness plays a crucial role in the ex- Prisoners of war emotional healing to be able to lead a resilient life after such traumatic events. Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you might always remain a part of your life. But forgiving allows you to help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Understanding that everyone may or may not deserve forgiveness no matter the person or act is a universal debatable topic; standing from a religious or spiritual aspect it may be a Christian obligation. For example the verse Mark 11:25 “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” (NIV). Several of the former war prisoners are forgiving their ex-captors for claiming the...
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...“Forgiveness is God’s command” (Martin Luther King Jr.). God says that every person deserves to be forgiven no matter what wrong they did, and every person should be quick to forgive. The action of forgiveness grows to become the major idea of the novel, The Shack, because Mack must forgive several important people in order to further his relationship with Christ. There are many cases throughout the novel where Mack must learn to forgive those who have hurt him deeply to better himself and his relationship. Research and multiple cases have continued to prove that forgiveness is a key aspect to maintaining a content life. William P. Young’s novel, The Shack, ties in this main goal of forgiveness and portrays the overall theme of forgiveness through the actions of Mack forgiving God, his father, and Missy’s killer. To begin, forgiving someone who caused severe pain and hurt can be hard, but it is definitely not impossible. Nearly every person in the world has been hurt...
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...Conflict Resolution and Mediation The concept of power is relative to the level of control exercised over resources deemed as necessities. Although there are a variety of ways to define power, there are a few elements that constantly appear. One of the constant elements in power is dependence. The next element is influence. Another element is the skill and strength to move resources into action (Blader & Chen, 2012). The power imbalances as it relates to distributive, integrative and designated power can impede one’s ability to manage work-related conflict. This paper will present a synthesized meaning of conflict of power, determine how power can constrain or exacerbate conflict, discuss ways for leaders to integrate conflict mediation into organizational culture, and include examples of scenarios in the analysis (learners.ncu.edu, 2013). Conflict of power comes from both conceptual and perceptive points of view. Conceptually, power is an expression through notions of symbolism as result of the relationship that exists between people (Dahl, 2007). The concept of power has more of an extrospective reference but also includes an introspective approach. The concept of power is exemplified through rank and file. Even if a soldier does not personally know an officer, it is the extrospective approach to power that has the soldier solute the officer. The soldier gives respect to the position a higher rank. The respect of position is called designated power (Wilmot...
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...National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) in 1944. He organized boycotts and strikes to fight for voting rights and equality for black South Africans. In 1956, Mandela was arrested for treason. The ANC was banned in South Africa in 1960. In 1964, Mandela was sentenced to life in prison for fighting apartheid. After spending 27 years in prison, Mandela was released in 1990. Upon his release, Mandela worked to repeal apartness and stop the growing violence in South Africa. He also helped establish multiracial elections which would occur in 1994. For his work, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. In 1994, South Africa held its first truly democratic, non-racial election and chose Nelson Mandela as its president. Mandela championed reconciliation, the peaceful resolution of grievances after decades of repressive laws against black South Africans. Without Mandela's guidance, South Africa might have lapsed into a bloody civil war. Nelson Mandela died on 5 December 2013, at the age of 95. He died because of lung infection after a long illness. He spent his entire life working for equality...
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...Noor Bhatti Mr. Frank English 12 AP 05 March 2014 The Ghost in Kenneth Brannagh’s Hamlet: A Masterpiece William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a tragedy known for its drama and portrayal of its characters. For many decades, the play has undergone different interpretations as well as criticisms. An important factor of the play that has gone through this criticism is the character of the ghost who appears to be Hamlet’s dead father. After the first encounter between Hamlet and his “father”, it seems apparent that the ghost is in fact Old Hamlet, returning to Earth to have his son avenge his treacherous murder. In spite of this encounter when looking more closely at the text, various signs appear to lead readers to see that the ghost is actually a demon. Joseph Addison in his essay, published in The Spectator 1711 states, “The Appearance of the Ghost in Hamlet is a Masterpiece in its kind…but every Time he enters he is still more terrifying” (Addison 2). Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 production of Hamlet vividly portrays these signs of malevolence, of this being originating from Hell. Baranagh brilliantly depicts the demon that Shakespeare wrote in the early 1600’s from Act I Scenes I and IV/V as well as Act III Scene IV in his movie. As the play begins the first mystery that the characters come across is the “ghost” that embodies their old King. Horatio, Hamlet’s old friend as well as a noble scholar approaches the ghost, commanding it, “By heaven I charge thee, speak...
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...Abstract This paper provides an overview of ‘discipleship counseling,’ a philosophy of counseling articulated by Neil T. Anderson in his 2003 book of the same name. In the field of Christian Counseling there is a need for mixing secular psychiatric science and theological teaching. The first point addresses in Dr Neil T. Anderson book is that Christians are hurting for their lack of understanding of who they are in Christ. In the second point in this paper addresses the organizational structure of discipleship counseling that must be met. Finally barriers the counselee must overcome to experience true freedom, which is only found in Christ. Introduction Religion and psychology have often been viewed as incompatible. However, Christian counseling attempts to integrate the two in a meaningful fashion, so that clients are healed from their personal traumas while they become spiritually reborn in their connection to Christ. According to Dr. Neil T. Anderson's (2003) Discipleship counseling, God is the unspoken presence within every counseling relationship. The counselor does not have to consciously and constantly invoke God, and may choose not to do so because of the immediate needs or personality of the patient. But the sense that there is a higher power that is bigger than the self is always present. The therapist must realize that he or she is not God and do the work of the creator; he is merely a facilitator...
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...ultimately they are all concerned with the acquisition of greater knowledge and a new perspective. In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero comes to realise not only the limitations of his art, but also the importance of love and redemption in redefining one’s place in the world, as well as one’s view of it. Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society represents the importance of new perspectives on the familiar in order to realise the self, in the face of conflicting and controlling forces. The Tempest, as its title suggests, is partly concerned with the forces of nature, but mostly it is about the need for the liberating and redemptive power of forgiveness in the face of man’s inhumanity towards man. Prospero conjures a storm, with Ariel’s forced assistance, that brings to the island those who have wronged him. The scene seems set for a revenge plot to unfold. However, we soon discover that Prospero has changed in the 12 years that he has been exiled on the island. He realises that he is as much to blame for his exile as his treacherous brother Antonio to whom he relegated his ducal responsibilities in order to pursue his selfish interests: ‘And to my state grew stranger, being transported/And rapt in secret studies.’ Just as Miranda discovers her true identity, her history and her future husband, Prospero has discovered his error and will return to Milan a wiser, more forgiving and less self-indulgent ruler: ‘I’ll break my staff, / Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, / And deeper...
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