Beliefs About Forgiveness

On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 indicating you totally disagree and 10 indicating you totally agree, please rate the following statements.

What was done was so hurtful and destructive that it is unforgivable.

What was done was so hurtful and destructive that it’s wrong to forgive.

Only minor offences should be forgiven.

It is only possible to forgive after an offender apologizes.

My offender must admit they were wrong before I can forgive.

It is only possible to forgive after an offender is brought to justice.

It is not possible to forgive family or close friends for serious offences

It is not possible to forgive a spouse who cheats.

It is not right to forgive a spouse who cheats.

It is not possible to forgive a child abuser.

It is not right to forgive a child abuser.

It is not possible to forgive a murderer.

It is not right to forgive a murderer.

Forgiving those who deeply hurt my friends or family is not possible.

Forgiving means we are making something wrong into something right, that we are condoning an activity.

Forgiving means allowing our offender to go free, to not pay retribution for their actions.

By not forgiving, I am getting back at the person who hurt me.

Forgiveness is done to improve or reconcile a relationship.

Forgiving serious offenses is only possible for advanced devotees.

If I forgive a serious offence or abuse, I am empowering the offender to commit the same abuse to others in the future.

Forgiving will make me vulnerable to more abuse.

People don’t forgive me so why should I forgive them.

It is therapeutic to continually re-live what happened.

There must be logical reasons to forgive.

Since the past cannot be changed, I must be resigned to the reality that my life will be affected by the consequences of what happened.

It is not necessary to be forgiving to make spiritual progress.

I want to forgive but I can’t.

I can’t feel any other way but hurt by what happened.