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To forgive is to eliminate your hatred towards someone and to dismiss or accept the actions that a person has committed. Forgiveness generates love, and love is what embraces humanity. Love overcomes all evil and all hatred and releases the essence of innocence and serenity. Love is more powerful than anything. Everyone deserves to be forgiven no matter what. A person that has done wrong,committed a sin or even carried out an atrocity should be forgiven. "Why? Why should we forgive those who have caused us so much sorrow, so much pain? Shouldn't they be punished not forgiven?" No person is evil. No person does "bad." They perceive the "bad" to be "right," correct or even virtuous and those who do commit crimes often regret what they did and some attempt to redeem themselves. Many even kill themselves out of regret or despair. No person is born as an atrocious brute. See? Because there is no such thing as a bad student. Only a bad teacher. If you are born in the slum of Detroit it is plausible that you would wish to become the most hardcore "gangsta" in town even if it meant mindlessly killing. You are highly influenced by your environment, your company and everyone/everything around you. Your culture is a huge element which characterizes you. If you have a rich cultural background you have certain beliefs and values which influence your decisions. So, if you were born far away from this industrious, media-rich world it would not be liable for you to possess much knowledge about pretty much anything, and thus you would be innocent. You should never dwell on the past. You can never go back and change anything. So why hate when you can live a peaceful and joyous life? You should never also look forward into the future and hope for an answer or a solution to your pain and suffering which is inevitable to endure due to all hatred raging within your heart. If you keep saying to you're self that one day you will have your vengeance one day everything will be mended you will always look forward to that day and be captivated in your own world, and then when that one day comes you will not acquire anything positive from your actions. All that hatred and that burning desire raging within your heart will vanish and you will realize that you have not resolved anything. You will acknowledge how much unnecessary time you spent hating and cursing and to what effect? You will end up miserable and full of guilt for you have not achieved anything except managing to be just as bad as the one who has caused you all this suffering. You will never ever find peace unless you forgive. Forgiveness generates love. But hate generates more hate. If you despise someone or hold a grudge against them you will gain absolutely nothing but misery and you will never find peace. You'll die angry. You will be blinded by all this rage and resentment that you will be oblivious to the truth and the solution which sits right in front of you, forgiveness. English churchman and historian "Thomas Fuller" himself claimed that forgiveness is essential for otherwise you will be enclosed in your own world of hatred and hating another human being and you will destroy the "bridge," your only way of breaking free of this misery and rage, and you will never ever find peace. So don't dwell on the past, forget the past - let by gones be by gones. Forgive and forget. For then "It is Finished" and all our sins and all of our hatred will perish.
In William Shakespeares's play "Julius Caesar," Gaius Cassius Longinus wasn't the biggest fan of Julius Caesar. Cassius was a Roman Senator who was part of the conspiracy which regarded the murder of the greatly admired and "God-like" Roman General, Julius Caesar. Cassius's strong resentment towards Caesar and how he greatly envied Caesar's boundless power drove him to murder Caesar. In lines 92- 130 of the play Cassius describes the incident in which he rescued Caesar from dying by the perilous waves of the Timber river as Caesar shrieked and cried for help, and then he compares his actions to the remarkable and legendary Roman hero, Aeneus. Cassius then describes how he must endure the consequences of saving the almighty, immortal God, Caesar. He epitomizes his disrespect and hatred towards Caesar by telling his companion "Brutus" how he is forced bend his body like a wretched creature to the "great" Caesar and in return he receives nothing but a simple nod as if Caesar neglects the fact that Cassius saved him and acknowledges him as low class scum. Ever since then Cassius had to live under the shadow of his "superior" Caesar. However, I believe any decent man would have saved Caesar in those circumstances and if Cassius compares his actions to the Roman hero, Aeneus then he should be pleased with his actions. On the contrary he is infuriated with his actions. This is because if he was so heroic for saving Caesar why did he regret his actions so? He must have sought an award. No harm was inflicted on him. Yet, neither was any award given to him. He despises how Caesar merely nods at him and therefore he must be jealous of how Caesar is so powerful and how the Romans marvel him for in this particular section of the play he makes constant references to his power and how he is so God-like and omnipotent. This sense of jealously and hatred motivated him to do compose a diabolical plot to eliminate Caesar. He could not forgive Caesar. He could not forgive him. He hated Caesar and the excruciating pain which he had to go through while observing his "superior" grow ever more powerful. Cassius was so infuriated that he lost sight of the light and turned to darkness for a solution. Instead of forgiveness he went to hate. He possessed the quality which characterizes nearly every human, greed. His greed, his desperation, his hatred, his jealously all brought out the negativity within his soul. Cassius wasn't like many men. He wasn't fat, he did not laugh, he did not listen to music and so he was detested by Caesar who did not like men who did not savor life and he also was intimidated by the unlikely possiblility of him, Cassius overpowering him. Cassius only had the desire blazing in his heart. The one desire. The desire to overthrow Caesar, to defeat him and to get his revenge. He lived with this hatred and contempt towards Caesar for quite some time, watching the ungrateful man transcend into an immortal God. He could not accept it. And so he listened to the devil. The devil tempted him and told him what he must do. He became very sly and attempted to use reason and logic to mask his desperation. He used this strategy on his brother-in-law Brutus who was a close friend of Caesar and persuaded him to join him to kill Caesar. He told him about how Caesar does not deserve the power that he possesses and that he should be assassinated for it would be for the good and the welfare of the people of Rome. Cassius deceived Brutus by throwing rocks attached to notes written in different handwriting through Brutus's window. Brutus was easily fooled and he along with a few others decided to join the conspiracy. All of them with their hearts which have been provoked with darkness and greed and hatred and fury. Then one night they stabbed Caesar relentlessly until he was motionless and heard his last words, "e tu Brute," "and you Brutus?" Cassius then got what he wanted. He defeated the great Caesar. But what did he achieve? He was hated by the people of Rome after Caesar's loyal supporter, Marc Anthony showed them the shirt in which Caesar expired. Like I said hate generates more hate. So, the Romans went berserk and burned down the houses of the conspirators. Thus, Cassius went from a well respected nobleman and senator to a notorious and loathed man. Hate is like an epidemic. It keeps spreading like a virus. Caesar gained power and defeated Roman emperor, Pompey and is hated by some and then Cassius and others murder Caesar and are hated and cursed. Then, after hate spreads and spreads love fades. Later, Marc Anthony's army defeats Cassius's army during the battle(s) of Philippi and Cassius who was so caught up in defeating Caesar and acquiring power decided to kill himself by asking his slave to slay him. They say that "the devil is a deceiver." The darkness fed on him like a parasite sucking the love out of him. Cassius lost sight of love and forgiveness. Only love can destroy hate. But hate creates more hate. He refused to forgive Caesar. He loathed him for his power and how he did not give him credit for what he deserved. However, in the end Cassius ended up nowhere. If he just forgave Caesar none of this would have happened. He could have been a cheerful man like many others. However, he lived his life full of hate and rage. He was so blinded by this rage that he ended up dying. Once he did accomplish his goal of killing Caesar he faced the consequences. He was so caught up in his own scheme and his own motive that he never found peace or serenity. This exemplifies how when one refuses to forgive he/she will never find peace or calm.
In 1933, a teenage gang member named Oshea Israel engaged in a fight with twenty year old Laramium Byrd at a local club in Minneapolis. Israel had possession of a gun and killed Byrd. Israel was then sentenced to 25 years in prison. Now, that he is free Israel is next door neighbors with no other than Mary Johnson, Laramium's mother. Johnson was enraged and even wanted to hurt Israel in court. However, Johnson realized that there was no point in just hating and living a life full of resentment and aching for retribution. Then, she finally decided to let go and liberate herself from this anger and she found peace. She communicated with Israel often during his time in Prison and the two of them became incredibly close. And then the day came when Israel was forgiven. He embraced Mrs. Johnson like she was his mother and now they life in harmony together after Mrs. Johnson succoured him to find a home by offering one next to hers. So what happened? A mother befriended and forgave her son's killer and by doing so she liberated her self from her world of hatred and despair and found peace and joy and by forgiving she generated love. She did not let her anger blind her, she was not blinded by the darkness but managed to spot the light within her soul. Now instead of living a life of sorrow she is living a life of peace and serenity. See because when you forgive you show the devil that no matter what he compels you to do you are going against his will and showing him that love is the greatest strength of all. When you hate you drown in negativity, but when you forgive you soar beyond the clouds and find a more optimistic aspect of life. Forgiveness creates love and peace even in the most impossible of situations. Mrs. Johnson forgiving Oshea Israel for killing her son demonstrates how potent forgiveness and its significance for it can compose love and peace, and bind humanity together no matter what.
The Crusades or "Holy War(s)" is just one example of how "Religion" sparked war. Religion is disliked by many for how it has played a negative role on our Earth and how it impacted its people in a negative manner. This is mainly due to the fact that people wish to display their loyalty and devotion towards God. Over time religion has lost its purpose. It is meant to preach grace and to influence us with the words of God. The word religion itself originates from the Latin root "ligare" which means to bind. Religion is meant to bind mankind together not separate them. Yet, people distinguish,separate, discriminate and segregate each other and even judge one another through their religion. Religion has now become a script which all of us must follow. It has become a man made invention rather than the creation of God. We keep searching for God and we attempt to win his love and devotion without realizing that God will come to you. They don't feel it. They don't feel the connection between themselves and God they don't actually feel the inspiration and the conviction within their hearts to do what is right. Many people utilize religion to mask their own mistakes and to parade that they are good people. Some people keep on committing sins and mistakes or do wrong but they still claim to be a worshipers of God. Many people commit sins, sins which are so atrocious that they sometimes even involve killing. However, despite the sins they make they'll go to the Church or the Mosque or the Temple and beg God to forgive them. They just use religion as a way out. Furthermore, many people also are so intimidated of God and going to hell that they then only act upon the words of the Bible, the Qu'ran or the Torah. They raise their children and they tell them that they must pray to God without telling them why. No one will ever know the true meaning of God's love and kindness if they mindlessly pretend to be slaves of God. This false religion which many people pursue has brought a negative impact and has occasionally concluded in catastrophe. This is because false religion separates people. It situates borders between people who divide themselves in terms of being closer to God or not. They say that their religion is correct and the other is false or futile. This conflict has resulted in countless wars and battles which has resolved nothing but further hatred and resentment. People continue to dwell on the past. They hate others and classify them by their religion. They mock and ridicule them and call them names for they have different views and perceptions of God. They call Jews Freemasons, they call Muslims terrorists and they call Hindus idol worshipers. So what is the result(s) of all this hatred and dislike of different religions? There has been the Crusades, the Inquisitions, the rise of the Jihad, the Holocaust(can be seen as a religious war, due to how Hitler classified the Jews as well as several other reasons), Thirty Years' war, the Saxon wars, the Reconquista and the current conflict between Israel and Palestine. I am not saying that religion is something negative. On the contrary, I believe it is something important and essential for ever person. However, many people are oblivious to the true meaning of religion and they contradict and go against what they are thought. Every religion teaches good values which impact our lifestyle in a positive manner. Yet, many have a good intent and purpose to show their love for God, but the steps they take to achieve "this" goal of theirs are abysmal. Similarly, to the rage and hatred which blinded Cassius and Mrs. Jones, they are blinded by false religion. They fail to see the answer which will solve everything and bring love and peace. They hate and hate and dwell on the past instead of forgetting and forgiving and living a joyous life and always wearing a delighted grin. Religion was meant to embrace humanity not tear it apart. And I believe every religion shows us how to be kind and how to love. NO religion tells us to hate. If everyone forgave people for their sins instead of letting the sins of the people become their main reason for their hatred then there could possibly be world peace and humanity would be one. Love is what brings the world together, and through forgiveness comes love.
Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." More hate cannot erase hate, hate can only be driven out through love and forgiveness. When you hate you are captivated in a prison with mirrors for walls where rage and misery stares right back at you, and you are stuck with no where to go and peace will never be an option unless you learn to forgive and see how your life will go through a metamorphosis. To forgive and to forget is to love, to forgive and to forget is to find peace, to forgive and to forget embraces humanity and therefore forgiveness is something worth fighting for.
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