Forgiveness

I watched an interesting documentary titled “Forgiving Dr Mengele.”
Eva Moses Kor was a twin who was collected with her family, and sent to the Auschwitz extermination camp. She was Jewish in World War II. As a twin, she and her sister were immediately singled to a separate area – one for Dr Mengele to perform experiments on live humans who had a biological copy as a control. In a way, that saved her life, as the rest of her family were killed there in the camp.
The documentary is about her learning to forgive Dr Josef Mengele and other Nazis for their crimes against her. She was searching for Mengele’s records, so she could find information that could help with her sister’s health, she met with a former Nazi doctor, who actually had a reputation for helping Jewish people in the camps. While visiting with him, she learned that he had nightmares of the horrific events and felt terrible guilt. She had never thought that a Nazi would feel guilt and have nightmares about it. That started her on a process of thinking, and led her to formally forgive him. This led to the question of whether she could forgive Dr Mengeles. Eventually it led her to be able to forgive the Nazis for the atrocities.
Many of her fellow survivors did not share her feelings. Some were pretty shocked that she would dare to forgive the Nazis. I listened to a gentleman state that there can be no forgiveness without atonement. Another lady felt she didn’t have the right to forgive; she didn’t have permission. One person considered forgiveness without some gesture on the perpetrator’s part a hollow gesture. Many were upset with Eva for her declaration of forgiveness.
My thoughts were that they were missing the point. I believe Eva Kor has found the beauty of forgiveness. We as human beings have no capability to forgive in the sense that they are not responsible for their sin – that can only come from God. But as individuals, we can forgive others in that we, personally don’t continue with anger or hate. As Eva described it, we can let go of the pain that someone has caused us, and remove that pain from our hearts and minds.
The Lord said “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” Doctrine and Covenants 64:10. With this directive, the Lord isn’t asserting His power, but giving us a way to be happy, to be whole. As Eva Kor mentioned, when we forgive others, we stop being victims. I believe Eva has discovered the true meaning of forgiveness, and shows us how we can free ourselves and make room for happier lives.