Marina Cantacuzino

In its simplest form Forgiveness is Really Strange is a comic book about finding forgiveness for people who have harmed you. The authors and illustrator weigh the pros and cons of forgiveness and clearly believe that forgiveness is critical to heal oneself(s) and to help build a moral world. I do not believe in this basic premise. I don't think a person who has been abused or harmed has to forgive an abuser to have a fulfilling life. I do believe that a person(s) does have to come to some type of self-reconciliation and forgive themselves and work on issues of self-blame, self-worth and self-love. This is different. I have worked with sexual abuse survivors and whether they have nothing to do with their abusers, forgive them, don’t forgive him/her does not really matter. There are so many ways to have a meaningful life with a sound moral compass.

I feel somewhat differently about forgiveness between countries and conflict within them. I do think that forgiveness or reconciliation is necessary to being able to work together. The trauma of war, etc. needs a full airing in structured, protected settings so people can heal together. This is not a namby-pamby concept but very challenging and hard and we know from the South African Truth and Reconciliation testimonies that outcomes are fraught and in some cases negligible.

A thought-provoking comic that is fun and engaging. Concepts are clearly described I do not buy the basic premise or let’s just say that I think it whether to forgive or not is a complicated and multi-dimensional process… (plus d'informations)

The Forgiveness Project is a UK-based charity that creates opportunities for people to consider the limits and possibilities of forforgiveness. It works with individual personal narratives to examine how forgiveness, reconciliation and conflict resolution can be used positively to break the cycle of harm and violence. The Forgiveness Project is a secular organization working with people of all faiths and none. Its founder, journalist Marina Cantacuzino collected a variety of these narratives from all over the world to be included in the book The Forgiveness Project. While Desmond Tutu provided a foreword, don't expect a focus on South Africa, apartheid or politics. In this book you'll find survivors of Anders Behring Breivik's attack on the Norwegian island of Utoya alongside victims of the atricities in Northern Ireland in the 70's, and doctor Joseph Mengele in World War II concentration camps. Rape victims, women who lost their husbands in accidents or murders, war victims that chose forgiveness over hatred. Everyone has a personal definition of forgiveness and a background story on the process to conclude that forgiveness is the better option.
Forgiveness is no excuse or free pass to repeat the offence. Forgiveness is a word no one can agree on. The act of forgiving is fluid and active and can change from day to day. Strongly motivated, convinced of a godly command, or simply aware that the attacker, killer or rapist is as human as the victim's. Nowhere does the author preach or force her readers to always forgive. She feels uncomfortable with the great deal of conviction and certainty when it comes to forgiveness. Certainty and black-and-white thinking is often just a step away from intolerance, absolute faith, fundamentalism and even radical extremism. One should leave room for personal differences, nuances and the acknowledgement that the process of forgiving is more important than the result, forgiveness or being forgiven. To forgive also invites judgement and righteousness, spiritual and emotional healing and a second chance.… (plus d'informations)