Evil, Forgiveness and Reconciliation — What Do Those Words Mean?

I got some provocative reactions to my post of Oct. 14.  They’ve caused me to ask myself, what do I mean by the words evil, forgiveness and reconciliation? So I’ll be diving into the philosophical weeds again today. I can’t help myself.

As you read, if you feel your eyes glazing over, feel free to do something more fun. Clean the lint trap on the dryer. Deflea the cat.

If you’re still with me, here goes:

Evil — Beyond Redemption?

First off, what is evil? The very powerful connotation that word has for me is — it refers to a demonic, supernatural force beyond redemption. As I understand my Christian tradition, no one — no human being — is beyond redemption and, therefore, beyond forgiveness. That means no human being is truly evil. Not the leaders of Hamas. Not even Hitler.

Not everyone shares my feelings about the word evil.  I’ve heard more than one Millennial refer to trivial frustrations — a parking ticket, an overflowing toilet — as evil.

That’s fine. But it’s helpful to be clear about what we mean by a word.  I wonder whether President Biden, a world leader — a “thought leader!” — pondered long and hard before he used the word evil as carelessly as he did on October 10, when he described the Hamas assault as “sheer evil.”

I worry that using the word evil against an enemy gives permission to exterminate the guilty party — Hamas in this case — at any cost. Biden has made clear — and I agree with him on this — that Israel has the right and the duty to defend itself against Hamas. But he also urged Israel not to stoop to the barbarism that Hamas showed on October 7.

Forgiveness — Good for the Soul?

Next up, forgiveness and reconciliation — they are not the same thing. Not at all.

Forgiving is good for the psyche and the soul of the person who has been injured. The world’s great wisdom traditions recommend it. The emotional journey toward forgiveness is not easy, but if you can pull it off (as my playmate’s little sister apparently did) it lets you set aside bitterness, anger and fear and get back to living your life.

Reconciliation, on the other hand, is quite a different matter. Reconciling means restoring the relationship. This is not always a good idea. It can be dangerous for the victim if the perpetrator continues to be malevolent.

For example, if one spouse in a relationship is abusive, it might be good for the mental and spiritual health of the abused party to eventually come to a place of understanding and forgiveness. But that doesn’t mean that reentering the relationship is a good idea. That’s where forgiveness and reconciliation part company.

Reconciliation in South Africa — And the Middle East?

South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a remarkable example of forgiveness and reconciliation. Let’s hope that one day the Palestinian and Israeli peoples can achieve such a reconciliation. As for the people of Hamas, in my opinion, only justice will suffice.

What is justice? That’s a topic for another day.

More thoughts on forgiveness at “Forgiveness Is Tough. Atonement Even Tougher.”  Also, “The Hagia Sophia: Where Christianity and Islam Coexist — and Clash.”