Vengeance and mercy

An article pointed out by a friend (here) on vengeance in this, the Week of Forgiveness and Mercy, made me muse on what it really meant to be forgiving, and why this is so necessary a quality. Often we confuse vengeance with justice, and seek to avenge wrongdoings to us in the name of being just/fair - and this is something I've spoken about before (here). But is it enough to not be vengeful - or should we be going one step further and forgive?

Interestingly, if one looks at the evolution of spiritual thought, some of the earlier Manifestations of God do not lay as much of an emphasis on the idea of forgiveness. In fact Moses, the Jewish prophet, taught the ideal of "an eye for an eye". In times past it was common to settle conflicts through duels, to right a wrong through an act of violence. But we can see this as a reflection of the level of maturity of human society at that point in history. This becomes quite obvious if we then look at spiritual teachings given in the more recent past, at Jesus who preached returning evil with love and turning the other cheek, at Muhammad who talked about an all-forgiving God in the Quran ("To those who do wrong out of ignorance, then repeat and correct themselves, your Lord is indeed forgiving and kind."), and then most recently at Baha'u'llah, who lays probably the most direct emphasis on the value of forgiveness of all spiritual teachers. And one can recognize why - for in this global age, when we face the challenge of having to accept and come to terms with people from different backgrounds, cultures and histories, mercy is one of the key prerequisites for unity.

There are therefore two reasons why I see forgiveness and mercy as being necessary spiritual qualities today. One, forgiving someone ensures that you hold nothing in your heart against them, and therefore prevents the development of any form of negative emotions/feelings within you. Two, forgiveness lays the foundation for unity between people, by ensuring that we always treat everyone around us with the utmost love. And what does "forgiveness" really mean? It means, I think, "to cease to feel resentful." We are asked to do it instantly and not over a period of years; for most of us that can take great effort and courage. And as Abdu'l Baha says, the way to reach this state is by looking at everyone in terms of their relationship with God, and not as independent entities.

"There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if ye look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness."

Note that he says that the world of God is the world of complete mercy - God's grace is not withdrawn from us when we commit wrong. Rather, God's greatness is in the very fact that He is the All Merciful, the All Kind, and allows us to always partake of His grace, should we turn towards Him.

One of the most beautiful quotes on mercy, I've always thought, is Portia's speech to Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice:

"The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy."

And so though one might aspire for the kind of power that enables one to hold sway over a multitude of people, such as the kings of yore possessed, one can better attain a reflection of God's power and majesty through being merciful and forgiving. Which reminds me of what Oskar Schindler tells Amon Goeth in one of my all-time favorite movies, Schindler's List - "Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don't... A man steals something, he's brought in before the Emperor, he throws himself down on the ground. He begs for his life, he knows he's going to die. And the Emperor... pardons him... That's power, Amon. That is power."

Of course, gaining power over an individual's fate should not be the motivation for being forgiving. But the above point does illustrate that even those who believe they have the right and power to wreak violence on someone and avenge themselves, would be better served on their spiritual journeys by exhibiting mercy and forgiveness.

I'll end with another quote from Abdu'l Baha that again stresses the need for instant forgiveness, and for being as loving and kind as possible in trying to correct someone's mistakes:

"Act in such a way that your heart may be free from hatred. Let not your heart be offended with anyone. If someone commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him. Do not complain of others. Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer. Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts. Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart."