"Demand forgiveness" sounds like a contradiction in terms.

But I don't think that means we don't encourage and invite people to seek and offer forgiveness. (Sorry about the double negative there but its the only way the sentence works!)

Sexual abuse, like any other form of violation, entangles and damages lives. A demand for forgiveness may be an attempt to bring resolution or "closure" (hate that word!). In other words... denial that anything happened or that anything can be done about it. A demand for forgiveness may be an attempt to bring "healing" (another very over taxed word) to the person abused. In other words... "get over it!"

Neither of these have a whole lot to do with God's forgiveness in Christ. Perhaps we have watched too many episodes of "Touched by an Angel". (10 minutes is about all I can take before my stomach starts to rebel.)

That said though... there is something compelling about God's forgivness in Jesus. Forgiveness that brings a change or turn around. I guess thats one of the reasons I stick around and bother with following Jesus.

So perhaps we need to look at the difference between demanding and compelling.

A netfriend...