I'm not sure that I would say forgiveness is always unjust. As preachermanfeed pointed out, forgiveness is an internal thing. One might finally forgive, for example, a good friend for dying. This is neither merciful, nor just, (nor is it unmerciful or unjust) -- it's internal to the one doing the forgiving, because he/she is the one hurt in the first place.
I think the balancing element is compassion. Both mercy and justice can be harsh, or blind. They are verdicts. Compassion, and by this I do not mean mushy empathy, is a careful, thoughtful understanding of the whole picture. It can involve elements of both justice and mercy, and can involve the consequences of your decision. In other words, it involves wisdom.
So, a wholly compassionate mercy, in a sense, is justice at it's highest ideal. From the idea that, in society, we are all connected and affected by each other, there is no truly merciful answer that is not just.
Of course, I also think that, while striving for it makes us better people, we cannot attain that ideal. Which is why we are lucky to have a truly all-encompassing, all merciful, all just G-d to be that wise toward us.
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Date: 2003-07-07 06:10 pm (UTC)I think the balancing element is compassion. Both mercy and justice can be harsh, or blind. They are verdicts. Compassion, and by this I do not mean mushy empathy, is a careful, thoughtful understanding of the whole picture. It can involve elements of both justice and mercy, and can involve the consequences of your decision. In other words, it involves wisdom.
So, a wholly compassionate mercy, in a sense, is justice at it's highest ideal. From the idea that, in society, we are all connected and affected by each other, there is no truly merciful answer that is not just.
Of course, I also think that, while striving for it makes us better people, we cannot attain that ideal. Which is why we are lucky to have a truly all-encompassing, all merciful, all just G-d to be that wise toward us.