Forgiveness in the Social Imagination

Forgiveness in the Social Imagination.

Peter asked Jesus, How many times must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Jesus answered, 77x's. Matthew 18:24

Even if you are not a Christian, and or not believing in a creator, the practice of forgiveness is still essential for a well functioning society. Why? Because this act of forgiving allows a person to socially fix what is wrong between social actors. It allows social actors to move forward together and not apart or separate. It overcomes corruption and provides a foundation for the practice of the common good.

Unforgiven acts committed by people (in this fallen world, we all do things that hurt other people) do not allow people to move forward toward peace, harmony, common good, greater endeavors. It is difficult for people to forgive, they think that by not forgiving they have accomplished something greater. This is false logic. Or there are those who say that they can forgive but only if people to pay for what they did; either by money or incarceration. That is not forgiveness, that is only malice... getting back. At this moment, I usually hear 'But... but what if, but that is not fair if we just let people do what they want, get away with' ...
And what should be done! Throw them to the lions??? Would that be enough, probably not. Yet, a lot people would like to live by the Old Testament "an eye for an eye". That was the social imagination when people lived under the law of Moses, when there was no forgiveness.
Today, we can thank God our Lord Jesus Christ that our sins have been forgiven. Because of that knowledge, people unless they are sick (mentally ill), understand immediately when they do something wrong or hurtful (sin no matter how wicked) and what they desire and need is to be brought back to the fold, brought back into the social imagination (God's imagination), and in order to overcome what they did by being forgiven. As a sociologist, what is the most vital aspect of forgiveness when it comes to society's positive functioning is that it makes a way for people to repent... Rethink!