Forgiveness

    Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and Confucianism are all examples of the world's great religions. You would think that these religions would not have much in common, but when it comes to the idea of forgiveness the religion's share almost the same idea. The idea is that everybody deserves forgiveness. But, you can only forgive a wrong that has been done to yourself. What got me thinking about this topic was reading The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal.

     In the book the author, Simon Wiesenthal, was a Jewish man,in a Nazi concentration camp. While working one day, Simon was taken to the bedside of a dying Nazi soldier who was searching for forgiveness from a Jew for all the horrible crimes he had committed against the Jewish race. Simon did not know what to say to the soldier, so he left without saying a word. At another concentration camp, Simon met a Jewish man named Bolek. Bolek was studying to become a priest, but was Jewish and was taken by the Nazi's to the concentration camp. Simon told Bolek about his encounter with the Nazi soldier. Simon was expecting a christian answer, but Bolek responded with the words, “I don't think that attitude of the great religions to the question of forgiveness differs to an great extent.”

      What Bolek told Simon is true. Although religion's differ greatly they have the same philosophy about forgiveness. Forgiveness is not a religion thing if all religion's agree on the same philosophy. It is a human thing.