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Charleston church victims' families forgive Roof

Posted: Jun 20, 2015

I wasn't going to post or comment this weekend, but on this stormy Saturday, I just listened to some of the most powerful words from the families of the Charleston victims. They said:

"I will never be able to hold her again, but I forgive you," a daughter of Ethel Lance said. "And have mercy on your soul. You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people but God forgives you, and I forgive you."

Felicia Sanders -- mother of victim Tywanza Sanders and a survivor of the church shooting herself -- said that "every fiber in my body hurts, and I will never be the same. As we said in the Bible study, we enjoyed you," she said of Roof. "But may God have mercy on you."

Roof stood with a smug, unrepetent, blank expression.

The CNN report I watched stated that police claim that he almost didn't go through with because of their kindess to him, but he felt it was his duty to "start a race war."

Then, I watched one of the most inspiring things I've seen in a long time, white and black, locked in arms and singing "we shall overcome" together, at the memoriam for the victims.

It was then that it dawned on me: If his goal was to start a race war - he failed miserably:)

Because there are no riots nor even protests. Just grief, tears, hugs between black and white and forgiveness.

So though racism and hate may have won the battle, they ultimately lost the war.

I am SO sorry these people had to die, but they didn't die for nothing - they are heroes, whose deaths somehow brought us at least momentary unity :)

And just 1 month ago, we viewed comments on here about "blacks being more aggressive". Not long before that, Christians like me who didn't agree with other Christians "shunning" rather than showing grace - we were called "Christian haters" and "christians in name only".

Both were clearly desparate regurgitations of what their politicians and their media have brainwashed them with, over power and money.

But the beautiful African-American Christian people of Charleston have proven you wrong on both counts, those of you spewing your regurgitated political nonsense - because THIS is how real African Americans AND real Christians behave :)

You may have hidden under the American flag and "Mock Christianity" for a while, but in the end, truth was revealed. So you lose, racism and hatred. YOU. LOSE:)

Like Joseph said in Gen 50:20: "But as for you, ye thought to do evil to me, but God turned it into good"

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/charleston-church-shooting-main/

;

Their forgiveness gives everyone some peace - but we cannot accept

[ In Reply To ..]
the forgiveness of the individuals as an excuse or acceptance of the racism and hate that caused this event.

Over the past 12 months, many, many cases of racism and hate have been brought to light both in murders, killings, police actions, citizen actions, in physical terms and in reactions and words spoken by our elected and selected officials. We must assure changes in the people effecting these racist and hate actions by education, exposure, demonstration, resistance (if necessary), and election. Everyone needs to stand up for what is right, not just those being persecuted.

Oh I agree, consequences and justice are still necessary. But forgiveness is the only known cure - for hatred ~Julia Sugarbaker

[ In Reply To ..]
I didn't mean to imply that Roof shouldn't receive consequences, thanks for pointing that out so I can clarify.

Allowing him out of consequence would be loving our neighbor MORE than love ourselves, not AS ourselves.

Forgiveness has little to to do with others, really, or consequences or even justice, those still must go on. But forgiveness is actually an emotion, one that frees the self - it's the only known antidote after someone has attempted to infect us with their hate disease:)

IMO, it is easier to see things objectively and stand up against injustice, racism and hatred once we are sure we have rid ourselves of that hate infection attempt - and the only way to do that is to forgive.

Lead us on, Charleston :)

"Lead Me On" - Amy Grant, 1987

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHlTzyGY72g

(Hush that snickering, you in the back lol - if not your cup of tea, disregard)

That phrase actually reminded me of an old Amy Grant song about racism and antisemitism I haven't heard in years, written by Michael W. Smith. (You know, back when at least some white, Christian right wingers had stopped embrace racism.) It's about how singing often comforts us, frees us and unites us all:)

Sorry, this is how we got to this point, the hatred - has to be fleshed out and removed

[ In Reply To ..]
Kumbayah is not going to solve this and never has.

This is tantamount to, if the black people would just forgive those for being racist, they will stop being racist--NOT.

I have a feeling this is going to devolve into a bible study...and I don't feel safe--pun intended. (too soon?)

Not what I said or meant. I believe forgiveness keeps appropriate anger from evolving into hate - lest we catch their disease ~ JS

[ In Reply To ..]
I didn't say any of that about forgiveness stopping racism, I said forgiveness frees the self of (counter) hate, and I believe it is what keeps righteous anger from turning into hate - but only when a person is ready. I speak from personal experience.

Anger is appropriate, hate isn't - and if anger becomes hate, we've now caught their disease - sorry if you don't agree.

PS - I am not twisting words or mocking what people think and believe (except in self defense), so I would appreciate the same courtesy.

Because when done by the right OR the left, it looks like the exact same behavior to me, despite party hat. (Thank God I don't pigeonhole and penalize everyone on the entire left or right for it, though)

Whups, I said God. Well, if that's the most offensive thing ever said on this forum, not sure what to say except perhaps not reading what I have to say is the solution - I had no idea I was talking to the same person as yesterday until now, btw, almost everyone is anon.

Sorry, I'm not purposely trying to offend, but I won't walk on eggshells and tailor my responses for certain commenters, especially when everyone's anon and I have no idea who's who.

My response may not be directly to the subject - of forgiveness

[ In Reply To ..]
I understand that forgiveness does more for the forgiver, particularly in this case.

My point is that with all of the excuses for this racist action out there
1 Attack on Christianity -- not racism (Fox, Santorum).
2. He is mentally ill -- thus not really racist or representing any racist ideas (any MSM any time).
3. For goodness sake, Rick Perry has labeled it an "accident" caused by drugs -- not racism.

and now...Now, we have the victims themselves forgiving him. Some will say, case closed. If the victims' families can forgive, then so can we and we will move on as though this is just an anomaly.

P.S. Last (probably not), but not least, and one of most aggravating for me --- if they had only been armed to protect themselves this would not have happened -- everyone wants to carry a gun in church -- Huckabee, LaPierre.

I am so fed up with the hypocrisies of religion in my world, my personal experiences, I will not even begin to discuss biblical meanings for this. I respect your place in your time with your religion.

And the NRA blamed the pastor of the church - because he didnt allow guns in church.

[ In Reply To ..]
Idiots.

Agreed, too much focus away from racism. But too much racial outrage & Roof wins - He admittedly wanted "race war"/JS

[ In Reply To ..]
Roof admittedly wanted a race war and thought he would stir up the outrage of African Americans and liberals outrage again.

He wanted us to become enraged because that's what people like Roof, and his enabling media and other bullies do - attack, we get upset/mad, then say WE'RE the ones with the problem and "naturally" full of hate and rage.

But that's not what happened - we are too full of sadness to be too mad - proving they are wrong about us.

There's some anger there, sure, it's okay to be angry and appropriate. But through my tears and anger, I saw those families leading the way. And they're right - the only way to legitimately and genuinely soften anger - both with Roof and racism (as well as his enablers, Fox and others) - is to find a way to forgive.

And like you say, if the victims' families can do it this soon, we can too. They're showing us the way - and they probably have a lot more practice at how to handle such things than we do:)

Education, awareness and changes in - laws and attitudes-not race war

[ In Reply To ..]
xx

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