Do you believe in redemption?

[supernova]

Has nothing to do with religion, do you believe that a person can be truly sorry for something bad they have done, have paid for it, and have no desire to repeat that bad episode?

[NightWatcher]

1. Sure, I have acted as an Agent of Righteous Karma in order to make up for past asshattery

and I think that I've made up for my past.

Did you ever watch the tv show The Equalizer?

[supernova]

2. Is that the show with Edward Woodward?

[NightWatcher]

4. yep. He attoned for past wrongs committed while a government spook by helping people

great show

[Xipe Totec]

3. Yes

Preceded by compunction, confession, atonement, and finally redemption.

And these are not necessarily religious beliefs.

[Robeson]

5. Of course. My Dad was a hardcore Repug my whole life growing up...

...in the house. Had pictures of Ray-gun hanging on his office wall. Thought Nixon was cool, and always agreed with Archie Bunker. Had Nathan Bedford Forrest hanging over our fireplace the whole time I was in that house.

Since 1988, he's voted the Democratic ticket in every election. He had a late-life awakening. I'm proud of the old man for that, and he's certainly redeemed himself in my eyes. He really can't believe he was the person he was way back then.

[AllenVanAllen]

6. Yes , redemption is possible

To acknowledge, forgive and learn puts one on a good path toward redemption.

[Bunny]

7. Yes, of course.

It's how we learn and grow.

[madinmaryland]

8. What about the guy that just killed someone at the Holocaust Memorial?

Do you think folks like him are ever truly sorry?

Charles Manson??

I think there are some people who are never sorry for what they have done.

[supernova]

10. Those folks are definitely

lacking a conscience or empathy for others.

The person I'm thinking of does have both those qualities.

[NJmaverick]

27. That's true, there are people that are beyond redemption

but I think you would agree there are still those that are capable of being redeemed.

[travelingtypist]

9. Yeah.

Nevermind the flamebait commentary...

[hippywife]

11. I like to think/hope that anyone is redeemable.

I can see the difficulties in some cases, tho. :hi:

[supernova]

12. Yes, that's where I'm at

This person clearly wants to change and by all acounts has -- we are several years removed from the events now -- but you know people are imperfect and unpredictable.

Oh, the wronged party has forgiven this person.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

21. I'm curious -

why are you asking?

I do believe in redemption, but there is a wariness afterwards that never goes away.

Burned once, as they say.........

[Fire Walk With Me]

13. Yes.

I also believe that forgiveness is as uncommon, however.

[femmocrat]

14. Sure. I believe people can and do learn from their mistakes.

I wouldn't necessarily trust them again, but sure... it's entirely possible.

[Richardo]

15. Yes very much... although it might be a life long effort to prove it

[NJmaverick]

16. Yes I believe this can happen

especially in situations with people over coming bad childhoods.

[flvegan]

17. Of course.

[triguy46]

18. "Breathing Lessons" by Anne Tyler is all about one man's search for redemption....

and finally realizing forgiveness.

[murielm99]

22. Do you mean "St. Maybe," not "Breathing Lessons?"

I loved that book. I found "Breathing Lessons" intolerable.

[triguy46]

25. Of course. Will try to fix on edit.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

19. yes.

[redwitch]

20. yes. nt

[5thGenDemocrat]

23. I do and I have a personal example

When I was on the staff of my college newspaper for the first time in the mid-1970s, a woman replaced a very popular man as advisor and I, a junior editor, went out of my way to make her life a living hell, for not much more reason than she was a woman. Eventually, as can happen to chauvinistic, immature boys of 19 (on a short leash and with a bad attitude and to make a very long story short), I got bounced from the paper and kicked out of school (and I don't mean kicked out like academically ineligible, I mean kicked out like "If you're not off campus in ten minutes, we'll have the campus police toss you off" kicked out).
Went to Petoskey, Michigan. Got a job with CETA benefits, which included going to the local college for classes at government expense. Earned credits. Started a campus newspaper AND a weekly bulletin. Grew up.
Twelve years after the first paragraph, I had returned to my hometown and (more or less on the down low) re-enrolled at the old college. Better, I walked back into the newspaper office. Joan, the woman I'd dissed a dozen years previous, was right there.
"Miss me?," I asked.
She laughed. I mean really laughed -- and then found me a desk. From there, I became an associate editor (again) and, three years later, the first editor to hold that position for two semesters in, like, fifteen years. I even graduated with a 3.16 GPA -- not Einstein, but what the hell.
Best of all, Joan told me I never needed to think again about what an ass I'd been all those years before.
Finally, I got a job at the Bay City Times and became a real journalist for several years.
So, yeah, I might not believe in salvation, but I DO believe in redemption.
John
You CAN fix things that you've done wrong. That's redemption and you have to earn it.

[RandomThoughts]

24. There is a part of Carma redemption doctrine that I have seen that bothers me.

It is when someone has a hard life, and someone looks at them and thinks they are paying for some past wrong. It almost seems like it can be used as a way to block empathy. Although many with that belief use it the other way to find a way to be more caring.

I do believe redemption is available for all, but I believe the price for redemption was already paid for all.

[Orsino]

26. Hard to be sure.

Public figures so often claim redemption only after losing everything that it usually resembles a cynical ploy.

[SeaLyons]

28. I believe in redemption....

but I think the hardest part of it is self forgiveness.

[Deep13]

29. I don't see that as redemption, just learning from ones mistakes.

Whenever someone talks about redemption, it usually involves being trusted and accepted after doing something to lose that trust.

[Tikki]

30. I believe in self-improvement.......

Also, I believe anyone can tumble....seen it with my own eyes...
But, remember...everything is relative...

Tikki

[Common Sense Party]

31. Have you met anyone that doesn't?

I know people that cannot forgive certain other people. But I've never met anyone who things that NOBODY is capable of repentance.

[Moondog]

32. Yes.

But I also believe that it is not commonplace.