For a Christian the concept of
apologizing for something versus asking for forgiveness can be tricky. We may
apologize to Jesus for our actions but we have to ask for forgiveness. I’ll
probably have to ask for forgiveness before this post is finished. Saying that
we’re sorry isn’t the same as asking for forgiveness. I may tell a friend that
I am sorry or apologize for telling them the truth about something and hurting
their feelings but not want forgiveness for being truthful.
People are forgiving Donald Trump
for his actions. Trump is specifically not asking anyone, including God, for
forgiveness. There is video of him quite specifically and repeatedly stating
that he does not ask God for forgiveness. People are forgiving him so that they
can ease their own consciences. Forgiving someone so that we can commit a bad
act doesn’t make it better.
In the ongoing debacle of the 2016
election Trump could have apologized and asked for forgiveness from women that
he said he had assaulted. (I’m going to guess that his lawyers wouldn’t have
been happy if he had accepted responsibility for his actions.) Instead he
coupled his apology with an excuse (locker room talk) that made his words less than
honest. This isn’t asking for forgiveness for the actions he said he had
committed. This is just saying I’m a liar and sorry I got caught being vulgar.
Can people really forget that he’s a man who lives to brag about the things
that he has done? He denied doing the things that he bragged about doing. He
also claims he doesn’t lie. Does this make him a truthful liar? It’s a
conundrum.
Before I go any further I want to
say that I have watched the video of him dealing with this issue multiple
times. Anderson Cooper had to ask him several times if he was denying that he
had done what he said. Trump finally worked a “no” response in during a stream
of consciousness talk about ISIS. How hard a question is it to respond to?
Seriously? How hard? That should have been an easy no. Instead Cooper had to
drag it out of him. And if he hadn’t repeatedly gone back to the question Trump
wouldn’t have answered. I don’t think that he wanted to answer. His answer is
what pushed his accusers over the edge.
So, victims stepped forward saying
that he done to them exactly what he had talked about doing. Oops. Not good.
It’s not Bill Cosby not good yet but it’s getting there.
Trump could have stopped talking
about it but as he has often said—he’s a counter puncher. So in addition to
denying that he had done anything he called them a variety of names and said
that they were ugly as in not attractive enough for him to grope. Then his
supporters went after them. One victim said that she’s going to leave the
country because she fears for her and her family’s safety. Way to go Trump
supporters. Nothing says support like witness tampering.
This is why women don’t come
forward especially when they’re up against one of the billionaire global elite.
Trump is now playing the “I’m the poor victim card and women are picking on
me.” Kinda makes me want to call him a cat. I apologize for the remark but I
don’t ask for forgiveness.
Forgiveness isn’t difficult for
Jesus. He can forgive all. He would forgive all. He did forgive all. There is
one caveat. We have to ask him (God) for forgiveness. There isn’t a reward.