[Yardstick]

"Someone on the internet sold Matthew an unregistered gun. I pray he seeks God's forgiveness. I forgive him."

And I forgive Rick Warren for "forgiving" the seller, thus backhandedly casting the seller as some kind of sinner. As if his son couldn't just as easily have killed himself with a registered gun.

[tomkat]

As if his son couldn't just as easily have killed himself with a registered gun .. or a friggin' steak knife, or stickin' his tongue in a 240 socket !

[marktwain]

“And I forgive Rick Warren for “forgiving” the seller, thus backhandedly casting the seller as some kind of sinner. “

Exactly. You have the right take. Everyone makes mistakes, and it is easier to do in a time of great emotional loss and stress. Rick Warren made a mistake, under great emotional loss and stress.

He probably did not even know he was doing it when he did it. We all are sinners, and we all need forgiveness.