It reduces the guilt for the person apologizing, so in that case no.
It doesn’t eliminate the effect of what they are apologizing for in most cases, so in that sense, in most cases yes.
It depends what you consider the point of the apology.
I disagree. If a person accidentally runs over a pedestrian, kills them and they apologize, do you really think they feel less guilt for what happened? At best, I believe they can only hope the victims family knows they do feel regret and forgives them.
Nor should it. That’s not what an apology is supposed to accomplish.
The point of any apology should be forgiveness. What other point is there?
Yes. I think they would feel less guilt. The only reason they apologized is so they could possibly live with themselves and hoping the family forgives them. I would not forgive them. Unless the driver had a medical emergency or their car malfunctioned, if they drove over my wife, their apology would be meaningless. In neither of those 2 scenarios would they be to blame. Nor if she walked in front of the driver. If they just drove over her because of their error, that apology would mean nothing. People need to think about consequences of their actions and not just do things and apologize later just to reduce guilt. I almost never apologize for anything, but most people would tell you I’m one of the nicest people you’d meet.
What a dumb thing to say. Apology is the action produced from guilt, for forgiveness. That you think an apology is meant for reduction of personal guilt implies nobody thinks like you. That’s disturbing. You think you’re the only person that apologizes for the right reason? What a lifted up thing to say. Dahmer asked forgiveness publicly and privately, confessing Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Had he apologized, repented and then kept on killing and eating his victims, there would be no more sacrifice for his sins and he would probably die in them, even though all things are possible with God and everyone wants to have hope.
For if we keep on sinning willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but only a terrifying expectation of judgment and a fury of fire about to devour the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the Torah of Moses dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much more severe do you think the punishment will be for the one who has trampled Ben-Elohim underfoot, and has regarded as unholy the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know the One who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “ADONAI will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. - Hebrews 10:26-31 TLV
What a stupid post. You don’t know me at all.
I can’t remember the last time I apologized for something. People are allowed to make mistakes. They don’t need to apologize for an error. Inflicting harm on others is either intentional or not. If it is accidental, no apology necessary. If it is intentional, no apology accepted.
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I basically agree. But I was raised differently. Always to be polite and to please people. I appologize even for things I am not responsible for, but somehow feel responsible for, if someone has to face an inconvenience while being with me. I simply say sorry as a reflex, unintentionally. My friends often ask me to stop saying sorry, which makes me realize I was saying it. I hate this habit (saying it because I internalized it, without even wanting to appologize), but obviously I can’t change it. At the other side, my opinion is, most people appologize wayyyy to less, for that I find their behaviour rude or uncaring.
I have more shades of grey than this. If I’m in an elevator and someone runs up to it and stops the doors from closing at the last second by sticking their arm in, it harms me slightly. It was obviously extremely intentional. If they say “sorry” as they enter, I forgive them, smile, and it’s forgotten. If they don’t say “sorry”, I think, “wait your turn, twit”.
Interesting, lol. I am so opposite. First, I would stick my arm into the doors to keep them from locking, if I see someone signalizes to join. Second, if I react too late to this signal or not realizing their attempt, I don’t feel harmed at the slightest. And furthermore - I would apologize for not reacting right in time to help, lol.
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There are a million examples.
Someone turns onto the road and I have to brake fairly hard to avoid hitting them. They did it intentionally, but they just misjudged how much it would inconvenience me. If they wave “sorry”, I instantly mentally forgive them, but if they just drive on like nothing happened, I’ll think “idiot, and horrible driver”.
If someone cuts me off walking and says “excuse me” (which is another way to say sorry), I instantly mentally forgive them, but if they say nothing, I think “no situational awareness”.
If someone reaches across my dinner plate to get the salt, I think “no manners” but if they say “sorry”, or “pardon my reach”, I am fine with them.
Yes, endless examples. I don’t think “sorry” is meaningless.
That may be true but in my mind I know you better than you know yourself. You’re lifted up and arrogant. You think only people like you are sincere in their conscious. You don’t even ask forgiveness because you don’t think you have ever sinned and even if you know you have you don’t think you did any thing blaring and even if you did you don’t think it is bad enough you need to ask forgiveness because in your stupid mind you’re forgiven by default because you’re in God’s image, therefore you must have authority to sin.
What a dumb lie straight from Hell and how naive you are to think some sins are just mistakes that require no acknowledgement.
So what!!! In your blind eyes, it can’t be severe enough for you to ask forgiveness.
How arrogant! You expect an apology you wouldn’t give? You’re the biggest fake ass jack me off hypocrite I have ever spoken to. Nobody should have to apologize to you ever for anything. You should have to spend the rest of your life waiting for an apology that never comes, that way, you won’t have to be bothered with putting out the effort to reject it.
How does that harm you? Have you been delayed by 7 seconds and have you never in your life tried to catch an elevator?
Every example you have was of another person cutting you off. What about the wrongs you commit against others? Is “sorry” only meaningful when penetrates your ears?
Michele, it’s too early for this. I simply said “sorry” is not meaningless to me, not that I have committed no wrongs.
I didn’t say you have committed any wrongs either. Your pointed comment reflects what you expect from others but that is quite different from what you expect from yourself. You and Dan think alike so I have no reason to think any other way.
Absurd nonsense. I always say sorry or excuse me or pardon me if I cut someone off or stick my hand in an elevator door to stop it from closing or reach across the table.
My opinion is not absurd and if you had started with that comment thus debate would be over.
Brennon just accused Trump of doing what they did to him and in the same breath whine that he wouldn’t forgive them, which is why I posted this here in this debate over apologies and forgiveness. It just seems to fit. His hypocrisy is undeniable. I hope Trump bankrupts and imprisons them all.
This wasn’t a debate, it was you being crazy.
You’re right. Your participation was nothing.
There is so much wrong in this post. Where did I type that I expect an apology? Nobody needs to apologize to me for anything.
Most of the rest of this was basically calling me arrogant with some weird references to God.
I called your post “stupid.” Not you. You called me stupid and arrogant.
You shouldn’t apologize, though. It was certainty on purpose to make me feel worse and yourself feel better.