THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPT OF FORGIVENESS BY NORWEGIAN PHILOSOPHER ARNE JOHAN VETLESEN - IS FORGIVENESS MORALLY WRONG - ?
THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPT OF FORGIVENESS BY NORWEGIAN PHILOSOPHER ARNE JOHAN VETLESEN - IS FORGIVENESS MORALLY WRONG - ?

Summary/Abstract: According to Professor Vetlesen, reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot come unless perpetrators recognize what they committed and do not show public remorse for what they did. Even then, if it happens, nobody has the right to force a victim to accept apology. Forgiveness and oblivion are not victim’s obligations, Vetlesen is categorical. “I am aware how many denials occur and exactly to silence a victim to talk about what happened can often only aggravate things, disturb the possible reconciliation process. It is understandable that a large number of victims are ready to forget what was happening to them for the future. People are often aware that recalling these suffering can cause new conflicts, unrest in society. To tell victims to be silent is equally dubious, psychologically unbearable to leave it as a liability only to the victim, and not only to the perpetrator, and it cannot help victims,” claims Vetlesen.

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