Forgiveness is taking seriously the awfulness of what has happened when you are treated unfairly. Forgiveness is not pretending that things are other than the way they are.
Interpretation
Forgiveness acknowledges the pain of unfair treatment without denying reality.
Desmond Tutu's quote emphasizes that true forgiveness involves a deep recognition of the wrongs done to us, rather than simply overlooking them or putting on a facade of indifference. It highlights that forgiving does not mean forgetting or ignoring the hurt caused, but rather understanding it fully and choosing to move forward despite the pain.
In practice
In a discussion about healing from past trauma, one might quote Tutu to emphasize the importance of acknowledging the hurt.
The fossil reserves that have already been discovered exceed what can ever be safely used. Yet companies spend half a trillion dollars each year searching for more fuel. They should redirect this money toward developing clean energy solutions
As much as the world has an instinct for evil and is a breeding ground for genocide, holocaust, slavery, racism, war, oppression, and injustice, the world has an even greateer instinct for goodness, rebirth, mercy, beauty, truth, freedom and love.
When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.
Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are.
Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back.
Gaza is going to test who believes in the worth of human beings.
Perhaps the depth of love can be calibrated by the number of different selves that are actively involved in a given relationship.
Good-Bye is an easy word to say but try saying it to a friend. If I never knew you, I'd be safe, but half as real, never knowing I could feel.
Adults should not weep, I knew. They did not have mothers who would comfort them.
When I tell her what I’m thinking and she tells me what she’s thinking, our each ideas jumping into the other’s head, like coulouring blue crayon on top of yellow that makes green.
I felt like we had stories about family loyalty; I didn't feel like we had stories about what to do when you felt that loyalty to your family was in conflict with loyalty to yourself.
Discriminating against same-sex couples just isn't right.
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