Day of Atonement

[michal]

I have a question that is related to atonement and forgiveness: Can you forgive a person if that person has not asked you for forgiveness? If that person has not acknowledged that he/she has done wrong, can he/she be forgiven?

I believe that is the best form of forgiveness, because you are not forgiving after being asked to, but of your own free will to heal and to move on. I also think... well, sometimes there is no chance for people to ask our forgiveness - either because they don't feel that they've wronged us or that they've passed on.

I feel we owe ourselves to forgive them, to let go of our anger and hurt so we can become better - mainly towards ourselves.

PS
Sorry if I got too tacky. Forgiveness is a big word for a small brain like mine.

[poisonbat]

I forgive quite easily for those who have wronged me. I even befriend them if possible. But there are a few that I just don't know if I could ever forgive. These are my abusers. The ones who left me bloody and hospitalized. There are 2 of them. I am still mostly in hiding from these men, they made a lasting impression on me and took away a part of me that I am struggling to regain. I would really have to give this serious thought before I could say that I forgive this, but I have moved on. Does that count?