[bonfire]

Oh my neighbor recently told me that her father sexually abused her while she was growing up. Then went on to tell me that she's forgiven him now that he's found Jesus. Uh-huh.

[SilentServiceCPOWife]

Perverts and miscreants seem to have a way of "finding Jesus" when they know they're in trouble, don't they?

[najida]

Uh huh is right.

[Skooz]

Yes, bonfire, even crimes that repulsive and disgusting can be washed away by the Blood of Christ.

We can't understand it, but God does.

[colorcountry]

Forgive, but NEVER forget. I would never give the creep another opportunity! Castration is the answer.

[cripplecreek]

Sadly I think most "in family" molesters go unpunished and often reoffend. I know a girl whos uncle began molesting her when she was 9 years old and was raping her on a regular basis by the time she was 12. It ended when the family found out. No charges were ever filed because the family didn't want the embarrassment.

The girl never received any counselling and is now a crack addict with several children and an endless arrest record. Meanwhile the uncle goes on about his happy way without scrutiny. I tell everyone I meet to keep him away from children.

[Mask316]

What I can say about this since I lived through this and much much worse is the only way you can not let your past ruin your future is to find a way to let it go. I am a Jesus Freak but that does not mean you just walk around forgiving everything and everyone. However in order to let it go so you have some kind of future that is not jacked up and plagued with yesterday is to forgive it.

Not let the person off, forgive it so you can let it go. I am free of those shackles because I don't want to pay with the rest of my life what was not my debt to start with. Evil adults stole my childhood I would be insane to give them my adulthood. Jesus for me helps me because when it gets dark I have a refuge. A refuge man can not provide what is man gonna say "sorry" ?

Take a wild guess what happens to the people who don't let it go, they self destruct or inflict abuse on others. For some letting it go is a lifelong attempt and it could be any healthy way they need. The thing is when you are a child abuse vic, you tend to attract other child abuse vic's as adults and you would be very surprised how many sexual abuse vic's there are. But most will never know because many will never speak of it except to another vic, mostly male vic's don't talk of it.

I took the "narrow" path because I did not want to be the parent I was raised with. So saying you forgive because you found Jesus may sound simple but it is not, not for a moment.

[Bosco]

The transaction goes like this:

Offending party *asks for forgiveness*

Offended party does/does not give forgiveness

I think what's confused often times is that people (Christians, primarily) saying "I've forgiven them." A more accurate and Biblical statement would be that "I am not seeking vengeance on them, the Lord says that He will take care of that."

However, to make it clear - Jesus did pay for all of mankind's sin on the cross. It's up to each and every one of us to decide if we will allow that payment to apply to our sin debt, or we will pay the debt ourselves.

[Blood of Tyrants]

It is good of her to forgive. But he still committed a crime and should pay.