Forgiving is sometimes hard to do. Yet it is one of the key reasons Western Civilization advanced as far as it did. The Franciscans forgave the indiscretions of the indigenous Indians of California, and went on to establish the various missions. The Indians in turn forgave the Franciscans their strict, Old World teaching habits, and melded into the white population. In Europe, after years of warfare following the Reformation, the religions finally realized what they were saying in their common “Our Father.”
It hasn’t happened everywhere. Northern Ireland is still struggling with that, but it goes to show why it took 2,000 years to get to where we are today. Other civilizations seem to be more occupied with face, and Communist China may not be as easy a mark as the formerly Christian, Communist Russia.
Despite COVID-19, I’m glad to be living in the 21st Century. We see some results.
Civilization 