When Forgiveness Favors the Powerful

Religious doctrines often emphasize forgiveness, drawing on Jesus’ teachings of grace. In cases like Falwell’s, this creates a culture where forgiveness is expected even for severe abuses by those in power. Victims are often pushed aside, their trauma dismissed, and sometimes they are cast as the ones at fault. This culture pressures victims to forgive their abusers, ultimately favoring the restoration of abusers over accountability and sidelining those truly affected. Such expectations prioritize institutional reputation over true justice and healing.

Forgive the Power, Forget the Pain? Grace for Abusers, Silence for Victims Forgiveness Doctrine or Abuser Doctrine? When Forgiveness Favors the Powerful Forgive…Even Abuse? Victims’ Pain, Abusers’ Gain Power, Privilege, and Pardon Sacrificing Justice for Grace Is Forgiveness Misused? Institutional Forgiveness, Personal Harm

[jefferyburgess]

Forgiveness isn’t for the person being forgive is for the person that is forgiving because what you don’t understand is that person that hurt you does not care that you are hurting that’s why you have to forgive that person because if you don’t, you are the only one that’s gonna hold on to that pain. The person that hurt you they got that pleasure out of your pain and possibly will still get pleasure out of your pain. That’s why you give that person because once you give that person, so that they have no more power over your mind, no more control over your feeling .