When we forgive, should we forget as well ?

Question

When we forgive, should we forget as well ?

Answer 1

Forgive and forget. Well its hard to forget. It means dont keep talking about what someone else did to you.

Answer 2

We don't control our memories, but they follow along with our forgiveness.

Answer 3

If not forgiving will be conditional only therefore of no benefit of doing so in the first place.  To be a forgiving person is to do so unconditionally to all including oneself.  If we don't forget then forgiveness is fully utilized.  This question comes from the inherent duality of the mind.  It is rarely considered that forgiveness does not mean approval.

Answer 4

You will never forget what the person did.It will be forever imprinted like when a leaf lays on the ground and leaves a print on the ground.

Its just hard to forget.You can forgive but you will never forget.

Answer 5

This is not as easy and there is a reason for this.  If we forget then we have not learned from this valuable lesson in life.  We must forgive, put all pain behind us, move forward and retain that portion that will prevent this from happening again.  :D

Answer 6

Forgiveness does not mean that what the person did was right or that the person was remorseful for what they did to accept forgiveness.

Forgive and forget simply means, "learn from it and move on", without hate on your mind and reliving the issue over and over and tormenting your mind.

Many people fail to learn that after an issue, the person can not hurt you unless you let them, letting them hurt you is YOU dwelling on the issue for days, weeks, months and years.  Forgiving lets it go,...so you are free to move on with the better issues in your life that are healthy.

At times to be resonable is cowardly and the issue needs to be delt with but upon giving the issue to someone of authority or giving your best effort to resolve without bring more harm to yourself.........let it go and move on........"FORGIVE AND FORGET"

THE WORST CASE THAT FORBIDS MY FORGIVENESS:

When I hear of a child being abused or tormented, I pray that our society puts laws into place that enforces and severly punish these animals.  PLEASE, understand that these children can not defend or get away from their attackers and until the child is "safe" their fears will continue.   These children deserve the opportunity to FORGIVE AND FORGET...........

I have read several cases of abuse here on Yahoo that tear at my heart, I feel helpless and all I can do is SPEAK UP FOR THESE CHILDREN, they deserve our concern and efforts to ASK and ANSWER with certainty that their attackers can be punished and these children have a RIGHT TO BE SAFE, an opportunity to FORGIVE AND FORGET........move on with their lives...............THIS IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS DECENT HUMAN BEINGS.

Peace Be Still

Answer 7

Dear Friend,

Forgiveness isn't about releasing a person(s) from harming you.  It releases YOU, from its powerful bondage.

When we ask the Lord to forgive someone who has offended us, we are asking Him to take away the chains that has us locked down.  God will handle what has happened to you in His own timing.  He wants us to learn how to 'forgive' because it is something that is spiritual and He forgave and forgives us when we hurt Him.  When we ask for forgiveness because of something we may have done to God, is no different than you forgiving someone who has mistreated you.

But forget? Absolutely not.  God wants to use your life's experience to encourage and help others who have gone through or going through similar circumstances.  He wants you to bring honor and glory to the "living" Person of Jesus Christ by what He has done ...for you.

Answer 8

Forgiveness is towards the persons in question, not towards the deed, and therefor can not be forgotten.

Peace.

Answer 9

Yes you should forget.  Forget those things that are behind & press on to th future.

Answer 10

Yes, Forgiving is also letting go of personal resentments. Find ourselves learned from that particular situation. To forget the misdeed done towards us is as to prevent us from clinging to a string of bitterness and pain. Whereas the meaning of to forget in forgiving others is letting go of that darkened self from you..Then get wiser by understanding what had been taught as a value. Releasing the hate.

We should forgive and forget as to loose or free ourselves from that negative state of emotions in our very own person. We would not want bitterness to bring along with us as we grow each day in our lives as individuals. It will only pull our legs backward from a bitter past, that may prevent us to seek our better way to real happiness and fulfillment in our lives.

I would not hope it that way either. That is why many say that clinging to a misery is only a waste of time. But some would not even admit it. Then the process of betterment becomes real slower than it should take to overcome.

It seems easily said rather than be done. But sure it is only the right thing to do.

Answer 11

no because that emotiona nd pain teaches us something. if we forget then maybe it will happen again or we won't learn anything from the experience making it worthless.

Answer 12

always forgive but never forget because people don't always change for instance my friend would always ditch me to go hang out with other people. and i forgave her each and every time, but she kept doing it and its a good thing i didn't forget it because then i would let her use be as backup when ever she didn't have anyone to hangout with.

Answer 13

forgetting is impossible ...just impossible.  

Answer 14

Ideally we should forget!  But can we?  Is it within our powers to forget?  

Forgiveness is the first step towards this effort to put things behind us.  For if we nurture the resentment,  we will always bleed,  whenever the memories haunt us!  By forgiving we are giving ourselves a chance to dilute the pain and with time we may forget the intensity...though the scar remains!

Answer 15

an important saying is:

you trick me once, it's your fault. you trick me twice, it's my fault

therefore we should forgive, but never forget (i don't think there's more to say since the sentence above kind of answers the question itself).  

Answer 16

...it would be the ideal attitude, but human nature prevails...

...what or who ever caused the wrong...is never forgotten, experience is always the reminder...

...thanks for asking...