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Welllllll, to argue the other side for a bit. . .

FORGIVENESS is essential for ME, for my being forgiven.

AND, I BELIEVE STRONGLY, the power to turn an enemy into a friend is a greater power than the power to destroy that enemy by obliterating him.

I say this having been wronged incalculably by my closest bosom Christian Brothers. . . . as well as many others over the years!

I don't want the poison of bitterness or resentment. It's unhealthy to ME.

I'm happy to let God deal with vengeance.

I'm happy to let God deal with discipline.

I would PREFER that the Brothers turned enemies would understand themselves and me better. But I can't MAKE that happen.

I'm willing to do what I can to trust God's promises to work it all out; restore; advance broken relationships.

I'm happy to learn more about Christ's suffering, brokenness and humility in however a small mortal part as best I'm able by His Grace to learn.

I could imagine killing someone who was slaughtering innocents or people close to me. But on the whole, I hate violence and want nothing to do with it. As a teen, I had a hard time killing deer for needed food.

But I don't mind paying tax dollars to stomp Saddddammmnn.

I've known of counselees who agonized for YEARS over WHY somone mangled or murdered or whatever their loved one. Understanding would have at least enabled them to have slept better at nights. Wouldn't have resurrected their loved one. Wouldn't have turned the criminal into a friend. But they would have had a TYPE and MEASURE of closure that would have afforded them more release from the pain than they'd yet achieved.

Life has plenty of puzzles and complexities as well as paradoxes. Understanding seems to be a far better way to navigate and perceive them than ignorance.

FORGIVENESS is essential for ME, for my being forgiven.

Does God forgive the unrepentant? Should we?

AND, I BELIEVE STRONGLY, the power to turn an enemy into a friend is a greater power than the power to destroy that enemy by obliterating him.

Your forgiveness holds no such power over evil.
You can not change hearts.

I don't want the poison of bitterness or resentment. It's unhealthy to ME.

I don't need to forgive my enemies to let go of bitterness or resentment. I simply give those emotions over to God and let Him worry about it

I'm happy to let God deal with discipline.

Scripturally unfounded.
Governments are placed over men with divine authority to uphold justice.
That they might not always do so changes nothing, God keeps no prisons in this life.