Forgive Them.

"'Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.'"  Luke 23:34a (NRSV)

These were Jesus' words on the cross.

But what do they mean?

Did he mean that they did not understand that he was God's messenger?

Or did he mean that they were not responsible for their actions because they were subject to authority?

Or perhaps he meant that the authorities themselves were not responsible because they had been taught false doctrines about the gods.

Perhaps even he meant that the Pharisees who had handed him over to the Romans were the victims of false traditional teachings.

"'Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.'"  Luke 23:34a (NRSV)

How can we apply this to our own lives?

When we are the victims of unfair treatment - unjust punishment, prejudice, hate, violence - are we to forgive them?

Do they know what they are doing?

Certainly persecution by Satanists falls into this category because Satanism is a false ideology based on lies.

The premise of Satanism is that God is a harsh and vindictive judge and punisher of humans.

This is a false premise.
And because it comes from the teachings of Jesus' Church itself they cannot be held responsible.

So forgive them Father; they do not know what they are doing. 


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

Photo Credit: alh1 Flickr via Compfight cc