I was so moved when I heard my friend Jessica Alpert's NPR story on a tragic crime committed against the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Waterville, Maine. Basically, the small order or nuns was terrorized by a man who had been part of their community but had a mental breakdown. Two of them were killed and two were severely injured. The nuns saw to it that the perpetrator got put in a mental health facility, but they also did a ceremony in which they washed the feet of his relatives as a symbol of their forgiveness. Listen to the story for all the beautiful details and the moving tenor of the women's voices.
The story is, in part, so powerful because at a time when religion so often gets twisted for alienating and even violent purposes, these ancient nuns in this tiny town are committed to interpreting their Christianity in the spirit of love. They don't forget the wrong that has been done to them, but they forgive on a deep, demonstrative level.
I guess I feel like it's such a prescient story for our times because so much wrong has been done, so many lives shattered by government policy and corporate greed, and it's time to change things and, perhaps, even forgive. Holding hate for George Bush is a colossal waste of time and energy. I say, bring him to justice, as these nuns did, but don't let the hate fester in your own heart.
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Very moving story, especially this time of year. It reminds me of a similar story involving my family. My grandfather pastored a church and both his sister and his sister's fiance attended. The fiance was a jealous man & in a jealous rage he one day killed my great aunt. The man was tried and sentenced to prison, but during the trial, during the sentence, and even afterward my grandfather continued to minister weekly to the man. The man even re-joined the church after finishing his sentence. My grandfather said that the man never got over the shame of what he'd done. And I honestly don't know how my grandfather did it.
Forgiveness is a very hard thing, and that's what makes it so inspiring as well.
Warranted forgiveness is wonderful. Unwarranted forgiveness is dangerous.
Courtney, I hear what you are saying about hate being unhealthy. But most of us doubt Bush will ever be brought to justice, and that unsettled business makes many people angry. That anger will be there until there is a reckoning. You are asking people who don't necessarily hold the same convictions as these nuns to share their convictions. Laudable as their actions might be in some circles, we all have our own convictions. For instance, I think anger is a constructive force, because it can be used to get things done. They believe anger is a sin.
Please don't ask for anything on behalf of George W. Bush. He's not mentally disturbed; he's capitalizing on his power and privilege to a disgusting degree and laughing in our faces.
I know sainthood is romantic--especially this time of year--but I didn't become a feminist because I have an interest in martyrdom.
I'm so troubled by this request.
I think that Courtney was saying that we should get rid of any *hate* we hold in our hearts for Bush. Hate is different from anger. Hate, if the meaning that I understand is the same as Courtney's, is not something that can lead to progress or creation. Anger can. Yes, George Bush deserves to be brought to justice for the things he has done. I personally think that the International Criminal Court should be his first stop after moving out of the White House. But hate is only destructive, and honestly, it harms us more than it harms Bush.
I don't think that Courtney was suggesting that we forgive and forget what Bush has done to our country. The things he has done are, I would venture to say, close to unforgivable. But hating him doesn't help anything. This can be a cleansing season, and since it's the last one we'll have to spend under his administration, then we might as well use it to clear our hearts of any hate we might still hold for him or anyone else in his administration.
Courtney, not only do I thank you for posting a very moving story, but I also agree with your suggesting that all people can learn a lesson from this story. Hatred IS a colossal waste of our own energy, and actions taken out of hatred solve nothing. I think the point is not that we should forgive people like Bush for their sake, we should forgive them for our sake. Hatred can consume a person so easily, and it so often leads to a justification for taking actions that one might otherwise find in opposition to their beliefs. It is poisonous and will not help feminists achieve their goals. Thank you again for sharing. I found it very inspiring.
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