BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

by Kathy Krajco I have a question for anyone out there who can answer it. I would like to know why therapists - yes, therapists, not just preachers - think that a victimized person must forgive in order to heal. To keep things from getting all fogged up, we must be clear on what we mean by forgiveness. The word has a definite meaning: it is forgiving a portion of the debt incurred by the offender as your ante in a mutual act of reconciliation. But the word is suffering a terrible bout of bastardization these days, having the guts torn out of it by being used as vague codeword for somehow managing to "stop hungering and thirsting for justice," for somehow "erasing your anger." Woops, I forgot. Justice sounds too good in this context, I must call it revenge instead. But, anyway, please be sure to identify which kind of forgiveness you mean if you explain why therapists instruct their patients to forgive. A couple related questions, just to make sure we all heal good....

HEY CHIMPY! READ YOUR BIBLE! The only problem is: I don't think Mr. Bush reads all that well. To the best of this American's recollection, he got hung up on MY PET GOAT a little over 7 years ago. This lack of reading skill & comprehension has been proved when he failed to read and comprehend our Constitution during his entire Presidency! From THIS SITE (the site's a bit extreme, but these points I agree with): How much longer will Christians continue to excuse President Bush's blatantly anti-Christian policies and personal behavior? Is the 'R' representing his political persuasion reason enough to cast a blind eye? The fact is that Bush's policies are virtually identical to that of his predecessor, and yet Christians will shower Bush with praise while nevertheless demonized Clinton. Ole Bubba himself is undoubtedly an immoral man, but morality is an absolute - it does not change based upon the occupant of the oval office. If it was wrong when Clinton...