Imagine you are a prisoner in a nazi concentration camp, and a dying soldier asks for your forgiveness. How would you respond? This is the situation a young Simon Wiesenthal was put in during his time in a concentration camp, afterwards simon reached out to many different people from many backgrounds and experiences in life. And he had them respond with what they would have done. I have chosen 6 of these people and an article on forgiveness to talk about their opinions, and my personal opinion myself.
Manes Serber is A french author who was Educated in psychology at a college in Vienna. When the Nazis took power he fled the country. After the war he worked for a publishing house writing books. Mr. Serber said “There can be no counter argument against forgiveness in such a case, or indeed a reconciliation based on pity”. When he says this he is Forgiveness Desmond Tutu is a South African man who was born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa. Desmond Heads the Truth and Reconciliation commission of africa. Desmond also has a Nobel Peace Prize and was named an Archbishop. Archbishop Tutu says “Without forgiveness, there is no future”. When he says this he is saying that he would forgive them and that in order to move on in life and progress, you must forgive. Jean Amery is an italian essayist who fled his home after the announcement of the Nuremberg laws were announced. He then fought in the resistance in Belgium, was caught and sent to the concentration camps, after the war, he wrote a book about the inner world as a holocaust survivor. Mr. Amery says “The director of the documentation center should not allow them to live this sweet life but rather make sure that the arm of worldly justice, weak and ineffectual as it still is, reaches them”. Mr. Amery has only a political opinion toward the situation, he did not want to forgive, nor not forgive him, all he wants is justice for the crimes committed. talking about how there is no argument that can be placed that would not justify forgiveness. And even if he forgave him out of pure pity for the man, that would be ok. The Dali Lama is the 14th Dali Lama of Tibet. He is the spiritual leader of buddhists …show more content…
He was captured after the war and tried at the nuremberg trials. During these trials he admitted to his crimes and took responsibility for his actions. Albert said “ Every human has his burden to bear. No one can remove it for another”. Albert is talking about how he can not forgive himself and he would not expect Mr Weisenthal to forgive the man.
In the article talking about Forgiveness by the American Psychological Association. Many authors talk about how forgiveness is not just moving on and forgetting the past. The person must not forget, but take accountability for their actions and what they did.
In my opinion, if I was in mr.Wiesenthal's situation i would have forgiven the nazi soldier on an individual level. I am a devout christian and in the bible it talks about forgiveness a lot. It says how forgiveness is not easy but it is necessary in order to move on. The nazi soldier admitted he had done wrong by the Jewish people and also by the german people. But by admitting his wrongdoings. He is opening himself up to the idea of repentance and
Manes Serber is A french author who was Educated in psychology at a college in Vienna. When the Nazis took power he fled the country. After the war he worked for a publishing house writing books. Mr. Serber said “There can be no counter argument against forgiveness in such a case, or indeed a reconciliation based on pity”. When he says this he is Forgiveness Desmond Tutu is a South African man who was born in 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa. Desmond Heads the Truth and Reconciliation commission of africa. Desmond also has a Nobel Peace Prize and was named an Archbishop. Archbishop Tutu says “Without forgiveness, there is no future”. When he says this he is saying that he would forgive them and that in order to move on in life and progress, you must forgive. Jean Amery is an italian essayist who fled his home after the announcement of the Nuremberg laws were announced. He then fought in the resistance in Belgium, was caught and sent to the concentration camps, after the war, he wrote a book about the inner world as a holocaust survivor. Mr. Amery says “The director of the documentation center should not allow them to live this sweet life but rather make sure that the arm of worldly justice, weak and ineffectual as it still is, reaches them”. Mr. Amery has only a political opinion toward the situation, he did not want to forgive, nor not forgive him, all he wants is justice for the crimes committed. talking about how there is no argument that can be placed that would not justify forgiveness. And even if he forgave him out of pure pity for the man, that would be ok. The Dali Lama is the 14th Dali Lama of Tibet. He is the spiritual leader of buddhists …show more content…
He was captured after the war and tried at the nuremberg trials. During these trials he admitted to his crimes and took responsibility for his actions. Albert said “ Every human has his burden to bear. No one can remove it for another”. Albert is talking about how he can not forgive himself and he would not expect Mr Weisenthal to forgive the man.
In the article talking about Forgiveness by the American Psychological Association. Many authors talk about how forgiveness is not just moving on and forgetting the past. The person must not forget, but take accountability for their actions and what they did.
In my opinion, if I was in mr.Wiesenthal's situation i would have forgiven the nazi soldier on an individual level. I am a devout christian and in the bible it talks about forgiveness a lot. It says how forgiveness is not easy but it is necessary in order to move on. The nazi soldier admitted he had done wrong by the Jewish people and also by the german people. But by admitting his wrongdoings. He is opening himself up to the idea of repentance and