TheWhiteRabbit Posted September 3, 2010 (edited) I know some say TTBs seems to be kind of sucking right now, and would like to try to get things moving back in a positive direction for everyone so they can feel good again. I have this idea about a topic where the poster forgives the previous person unconditionally for what they would like to be forgiven for, then states what they would like to be forgiven for. The only stipulation is that it should be done unconditionally. Of course everyone needs to feel forgiven now and then, so it should always be needed. I will go first: I would like to forgive the entire world of people for causing any number of disagreements and divisions among people. Personally I would like to be forgiven for being abrupt with people. Edit: Changed Title. Edited September 4, 2010 by TheWhiteRabbit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted September 3, 2010 Personally, I would like to be forgiven for reneging on my commitments. Rainbow_Vein, I forgive you for reneging on some of your commitments as I am sure you don't do it all that often. I would like to be forgiven for being so arguementive here on this forum simply because I feel I must make "my" point. Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted September 3, 2010 Any types of forgiveness are a start, pure unconditional forgiveness really takes purity of power melded with great wisdom and heart, so while such is possible most of us humans must start where-ever we can (including conditional ways)and go on from there... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fizix Posted September 3, 2010 I would like to be forgiven for not knowing what forgiven means; but I think it might have instantaneous induction otherwise one lives with resentment; harboring resentment is akin to drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mal Posted September 3, 2010 I would like to be forgiven for being so arguementive here on this forum simply because I feel I must make "my" point. Peace & Love! Marbelhead you are forgiven for making (good) points Any types of forgiveness are a start, pure unconditional forgiveness really takes purity of power melded with great wisdom and heart, so while such is possible most of us humans must start where-ever we can (including conditional ways)and go on from there... 3Bob you are unconditionally forgiven for breaking the chain I would like to be forgiven for not knowing what forgiven means Fizix you are forgiven as living resentment free is forgiveness. I would like to be forgiven for reading an article about Lou Reed practicing Tai Chi. But instead of rejoicing that a favorite musician also loves my favorite pastime. I spent all my time criticizing his postures in the photo's (That's also a bit of an insight into my avatar pic Intent is more important than appearance ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted September 3, 2010 May I be forgiven if this thread doesn't make me feel better? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trailmaker Posted September 3, 2010 May I be forgiven if this thread doesn't make me feel better? If to err is human and to forgive, divine, sounds like there's no blame... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
~jK~ Posted September 3, 2010 In the Buddhist way: the only one that can forgive us is ourself. AKA: If you can't do the time - don't do the crime. More simply put - Grow up or Shut up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that Posted September 4, 2010 May I be forgiven if this thread doesn't make me feel better? You're forgiven and also get a nice cream cake. I would like to be forgiven for reminding people that this thread is supposed to be an unbroken line of forgiveness, which is a very nice idea by the way, and in general for being an assh*le on occasion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted September 4, 2010 (edited) My point is that this isn't actual forgiveness here. Aren't we all becoming sensitive enough to tell? After thinking about it quite a bit, that's what I think the "problem" has been at this forum. Not our attitudes, but our sensitivity to the attitudes we've always had. We are just becoming more sensitive. I'm the type of person who knows that a bandaid doesn't heal a wound...the wound heals of itself after some time. The happiness we get from a bandaid (saying I forgive you when you really don't) is shallow. It's just a distraction from the wound, which will still be there until its dealt with. Oh well, thanks for the cream cake. Edit: another thing...a couple of times in my life I've had a really intense fight with a best friend or my brother. Those experiences were really interesting, because it was as if a storm was brewing, and then we just had to let it out and say our piece. Afterward, there was actually more mutual respect, and we were able to joke about it. If we had kept it inside, and tried to "save face" by acting all P.C., then I wonder if I'd still be as close with these people. Edited September 4, 2010 by Scotty Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheWhiteRabbit Posted September 4, 2010 (edited) I would like to be forgiven for reading an article about Lou Reed practicing Tai Chi. But instead of rejoicing that a favorite musician also loves my favorite pastime. I spent all my time criticizing his postures in the photo's (That's also a bit of an insight into my avatar pic Intent is more important than appearance ) You are unconditionally forgiven Mal. The burden is lifted. Scotty: Most times people do things and do not realize the context or the aftermath of such an action. For example: (I did have a Tao Tzu example here but it might not illustrate my point as effectively.) Despite my mild disdain for using scripture here I have chosen an excerpt from the bible. During his impalement/crux/impalement to tree in golgotha valley (where criminals are impaled). This occured: Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. We cannot expect people to be aware. It would be nice... Blame is mostly overrated. Blame is critique and criticism. We should try to endeavor to not connect bad actions to the person themselves. They are a person who commited a wrongful act. But this goes back to everyone not being aware. In a situation where it is a criminal it is entirely different. Blame, just like analytical judgement is like examining a diamond. The more we harp on the flaws we find the less we can enjoy the quality and the fire of the diamond itself. No natural diamond is flawless. A world currently based upon analytical judgement can never allow an era of true peace to exist. Judgement and analysis must occur on a different level of awareness and understanding for peace to occur. One of Synthetic/Symbolic Judgement and Reasoning (Immanual Kant). Scotty I agree that we should speak, feel and deal with others freely. From my experience the extremes I have gone to have not served me very well. I have a story: The Emperor and the Seed An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you." The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!" One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened, Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try." When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!" When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!" If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends. If you plant humility, you will reap greatness. If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory. If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy. If you plant patience, you will reap improvements. If you plant faith, you will reap miracles. But If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust. If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness. If you plant pride, you will reap destruction. If you plant envy, you will reap trouble. If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation. If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation. If you plant greed, you will reap loss. If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies. If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles. If you plant sin, you will reap guilt. I forgive you Ninpo for reminding people this topic is to be about unconditional forgiveness. I would like to be forgiven for speaking in a different way than people are used to. Perhaps we should add that this is an unconditional forgiveness? This means it is from the heart and you have to mean it. Edited September 4, 2010 by TheWhiteRabbit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lino Posted September 5, 2010 (edited) I know some say TTBs seems to be kind of sucking right now, and would like to try to get things moving back in a positive direction for everyone so they can feel good again. I have this idea about a topic where the poster forgives the previous person unconditionally for what they would like to be forgiven for, then states what they would like to be forgiven for. The only stipulation is that it should be done unconditionally. Of course everyone needs to feel forgiven now and then, so it should always be needed. I will go first: I would like to forgive the entire world of people for causing any number of disagreements and divisions among people. Personally I would like to be forgiven for being abrupt with people. Call Green Tara or Iblis and have her or him explain to you what "forgiveness" really is. Edited September 5, 2010 by lino Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheWhiteRabbit Posted September 5, 2010 (edited) Lino, I think the way I am understanding Unconditional Forgiveness and how you are understanding it may somehow be similar. Forgive others if they do not understand your way. I forgive your different way of understanding forgiveness. Can you forgive mine? Edited September 5, 2010 by TheWhiteRabbit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that Posted September 6, 2010 Oh well, thanks for the cream cake. The cream cake was the important part Scotty..... but you know what they say, 'you can't have your cake and eat it.' I agree that a bit of argument isn't always a bad thing, and actually the situation you mentioned in your edit does exemplify a kind of forgiveness due to understanding, and that can't be a bad thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mal Posted September 7, 2010 I'm the type of person who knows that a bandaid doesn't heal a wound...the wound heals of itself after some time. The happiness we get from a bandaid (saying I forgive you when you really don't) is shallow. It's just a distraction from the wound, which will still be there until its dealt with. Yet the correct bandage will actually speed healing Particularly some of the more modern bandages that we use these days. Very good stuff but they are expensive little things so sometimes just good old fashioned methods help too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted September 7, 2010 Very good point, and a truly healing bandage pictured. Thanks, Mal. _/\_ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites