Forgiveness, the Special Christian Treasure

On Sunday, January 3, 2010, Brit Hume was on TV with a panel of pundits talking about Tiger Woods' troubles. The panelists were asked for their predictions about Tiger’s future. Hume said he was more concerned about the “man” than about the “golfer.” As a man, Tiger was facing terrible difficulties with the possibility that he would be completely cut off from his children. In the past Tiger has identified himself as a Buddhist. Hume commented, "I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So my message to Tiger would be, 'Tiger, turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.'"

Hume’s comments provoked a fire storm of protest. How dare he talk publicly about another person’s faith? How dare he suggest that Buddhism does not offer forgiveness and redemption?

So a couple of questions, one easy, the other much more complicated.

The complicated question is how strongly and in what ways should public figures advocate their own particular faith? Having watched Brit Hume’s little speech on YouTube, I think the people who got all bent out of shape over it have a problem. Jon Stewart and many others screamed “foul.” Their screams are inappropriate. Hume did not demean Buddhism or Buddhists. He advocated his own faith in a brief statement. What’s wrong with that?

The second question is uncomplicated: Was Hume right when he said Buddhism does not offer the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith? Are Hume’s words in this instance factually correct?

YES!

“Stephen Prothero, a Boston University professor on Buddhism, told Tamara Lush of the Associated Press: "You have the law of karma, so no matter what Woods says or does, he is going to have to pay for whatever wrongs he's done. There's no accountant in the sky wiping sins off your balance sheet, like there is in Christianity." Added James William Coleman, a professor of Buddhist studies at Cal Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. "If you do what [Tiger Woods] has done, it comes back and hurts you."”
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/08/fox-tiger-and-christianity-a-defense-of-brit-hume/

“Buddhist and journalist Barbara Hoetsu O'Brien gets down to dharma. She writes:

“ I don't like to point out others' faults, but given the record I would think Christians would show a little more humility about offering advice to the sexually wayward. As Jesus once said, let those who have never sinned throw the first stones (John 8:7).

“ However, Mr. Hume is right, in a sense, that Buddhism doesn't offer redemption and forgiveness in the same way Christianity does. Buddhism has no concept of sin; therefore, redemption and forgiveness in the Christian sense is meaningless in Buddhism. Forgiveness is important, but it is approached differently in Buddhism...”
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/01/buddhism-brit-hume-tiger-woods-forgiveness/1

Conclusion: Hume is essentially correct in his characterization of a significant difference between Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhist teachers certainly teach people to practice forgiveness both toward themselves and others. However, in Buddhism there is no God who offers forgiveness and redemption. On the other hand, divine forgiveness lies at the very core of Christianity.


Early in his ministry Jesus has a very peculiar encounter. (You can read it in Matthew 9:1; Mark 2:3 and Luke 5:18.) Four men carry a paralyzed friend of theirs to Jesus so he can be healed. Jesus is inside a house when they arrive. There are so many people gathered in and around the house, the men with their paralyzed friend cannot even get close to the door. So they go around the side of the house and up onto the roof. There they rip open a hole in the roof and lower their friend down into the presence of Jesus with ropes.
Jesus takes note of their faith and says to the man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
This is a curious greeting to a paralyzed man from someone who is famous for healing people. I would expect Jesus to address the problem with the man’s legs. Or at least to ask him some relevant question about his inability to walk. No, the focus of the story is on Jesus immediate address to the man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
These words about forgiveness are so stunning, Matthew forgets to say anything about the four guys making a hole in the roof! The religious leaders standing there are aghast at Jesus words. How dare he announce forgiveness for this man? That prerogative belongs to God alone.
Jesus responds to their protesting questions by saying, “Which is easier? To say to someone, your sins are forgiven or to say to a paralyzed man, get up and walk. But just so you will know that my offer of forgiveness is more than mere words, watch this.” Then he turns to the man and says, “Get up and take your bed home.”
The man gets up. Picks up his mat and walks out to the astonishment of the whole crowd.

Jesus was justly famous as a healer. However the prophecies focused even more on his role as a forgiver. The angel said to Joseph, “You are to call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
Zechariah, the old priest pronounced concerning the mission of his son, the opener for Jesus’ concert: “To give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God” (Luke 1:77).
The first prayer in the book of Revelation praises God for the work of Jesus who “who freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be kings and priests . . .” (Revelation 1:5)

The special Christian message about God is this: he removes sin. He cancels moral debt. He redeems us for our ethical failures.

One of the great human challenges what to do about our moral and ethical failures?


The notion of karma works pretty good, if you are pretty good. But what if you’ve really screwed up?

The religion of Jesus frankly, unabashedly acknowledges human failure, then offers sweet hope. The first words of Jesus in the face of human distress: Your sins are forgiven. The past does not define you. Your mistakes and failures are not your definition, not your identity.

Even if you are lying on a stretcher paralyzed. Jesus sees past the obvious physical dysfunction and addresses the cry of our heart. You can be set free from the prison of your past. You are forgiven.

In Luke 7 there’s another story.

A Pharisee invited Jesus for lunch. (It’s important to note that Jesus freely associated with the Pharisees. Some of us imagine that we are too good to fraternize with the Pharisees. We hang out with the sinners, with real people, not with the religious pretenders like those Pharisees. Jesus was equally comfortable in the company of conventional religious people and religious outcasts. In short, Jesus kept company with everyone.)

They are having dinner when a woman with a salacious reputation comes in. She stood behind Jesus weeping, wetting his feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair.

The Pharisee is naturally offended by this display. He thinks how can Jesus possibly allow someone with that kind of reputation hang all over his feet. It was scandalous.

Jesus turns to his host and says, “I have a story for you. Two men borrowed money at a Payday Loan establishment. One borrowed 20 thousand. The other borrowed 200. Both got into trouble and couldn’t pay. The owner of the place inexplicably forgave both of them, canceled their debt. Which one do you think will love the owner more?”

Simon said, “Well, I suppose the one who was forgiven 20 thousand.”

Right you are.” Jesus said. Then Jesus continued. “When I came into your house you didn’t give me any water to wash my feet (a serious breech of courtesy in that culture). This woman has washed my feet with her tears. You gave me no cologne. This woman has poured perfume on my feet. From her overflowing love, it is obvious she has been forgiven–forgiven much. Forgiven truly.”

Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The other folks at lunch were astonished at Jesus bald gift of forgiveness. Jesus ignored them and said to the woman, “Go in peace.”

Notice the repeat of themes from the first story. What did this woman need? Perhaps the dinner guests figured the first thing she needed was to get her act together, to change her behavior. No doubt that was a real need. But the very first need Jesus addressed was her need for an identity that was not rooted in her past. So he forgave her.

Go in peace. Go live a new life, a life rooted in the goodness and benevolence of God.


The Pharisee was probably especially offended because this woman was guilty of sexual sin. Why is that such a big deal? Because sexuality lies close to the core of our being. Sexuality and spirituality are inseparable. We experience them in very similar ways. When we experience failure in sexuality, we are wounded in our core. And usually someone else is also wounded in her core. If the face of this common, but tragic, human failure Jesus offers hope. Forgiveness.

One of the problems with sexual sin, is that far too often it comes to define us. Whether we see ourselves as victim or perpetrator or both, our failures in sexual relationships we see ourselves thru the lense of the failure. Jesus gives us a new identity through his forgiveness. Then invites us, no calls us, to live a new life of wholeness, happiness, holiness and health.

(I cannot help drawing attention to the story of Iris Robinson, the 60-year-old member of the Irish Parliament whose affair with a 19-year old boy is in the news. She is famous for "evangelical" condemnation of homosexuals and advocacy of "the government's responsibility to uphold God's laws." Like Simon, perhaps, she has made a career being scandalized by other's sexual failings. Iris has responded to being exposed not by asking forgiveness but by minimizing her behavior. Forgiveness is so much better than minimizing.)

The story of the uninvited guest at Simon's party highlights an astonishing truth. Forgiveness is capable of taking grave failing and turning it into the raw material for great triumph. Remorse is turned into joy. Self-loathing is turned into glad service and worship.

“The one forgiven much loves much.” Love is evidence of knowing oneself to be forgiven. Rich love and deep forgiveness are linked.

No wonder Brit recommended it for Tiger Woods. It’s pretty good advice for the rest of us as well. Let’s accept forgiveness then live forward in the new, whole, healthy, happy life God intends for us.