avatar
Mormon Atheist @mormonatheist.bsky.social

I can appreciate the healing that forgiveness often brings, but it does us disservice (Christianity in particular) to conflate the act with restoration of trust. Swaggart was an adulterer. Sure. He was also a hypocrite. And saying you're sorry when you get caught is not a sign of real contrition.

jul 1, 2025, 5:19 pm • 1 0

Replies

avatar
Mormon Atheist @mormonatheist.bsky.social

Why can't Christians say, "I forgive you...but I no longer trust you and it will take more than an apology from you to regain that trust." And in the case of Trump, they don't even need an apology. "God forgives him and so do I" they say in dismissal of his many documented violations of god's law.

jul 1, 2025, 5:19 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Mormon Atheist @mormonatheist.bsky.social

Forgiveness, rather than extension of grace to those who are less fortunate and powerless, is more often, in contemporary Christianity, an excuse to exonerate the powerful and unrepentant. I'm not one to celebrate any person's death. But I can mourn how he spent his life and influence.

jul 1, 2025, 5:19 pm • 1 0 • view
avatar
Jon Sawyer @jonsawyer.org

I can’t help but wonder how his religious culture made him. For better or worse. He sure accumulated a significant amount of earthly goods.

jul 1, 2025, 7:40 pm • 2 0 • view