| The Power of Faith and Forgiveness |
Healing | ||
| Reverend Mouzon's Letter of Forgiveness | ||
| Reverend Mouzon Interview | ||
 | The Power of Faith And Forgiveness | |
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Helping | ||
 In 1996, members of Macedonia Baptist Church rebuilt their church, located on a peaceful country road about 10 miles outside of Manning, South Carolina. They never let the hate that burned their 138-year-old church consume them. They have not forgotten the vision of their church in flames, but they have forgiven those who burned it. "Hate crimes are designed to either break your spirit or incite some type of violent response. We proposed to look beyond, and look above what the church burning was designed to do. Love is always bigger than hate. Forgiveness is bigger than vengeance....You have to reach for the bigger things in order to be able to overcome."  Reverend Jonathan MouzonTEXAS BEGINS HEALING PROCESS AFTER HATE CRIME An iron fence that had separated black and white graves for more than 160 years was taken down in Jasper, Texas, the site of a horrible hate crime the June 7, 1998 dragging death of James Byrd Jr., a black man. The fence's removal came just days before the trial for the first of three white men charged in the death. "For many of us, this fence has been a symbol of segregation in our community," said Rev. Ron Forsage of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. "Give us the power and strength through this rotten and broken fence to repair the fences in our own lives." About 75 people blacks and whites sang in celebration of the fence's removal. There were also tears. It had stood since the cemetery opened in 1836. After Byrd's death, city leaders and clergy formed the Mayor's Task Force 2000 to help bridge racial divides. The iron fence in the cemetery, they decided, was a highly visible symbol and should come down. In Austin, a "Rally of Hope" organized by the Lesbian and Gay Rights Lobby of Texas brought demonstrators in favor of tougher hate-crime laws to the capitol steps. Groups including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the American Jewish Congress were involved. Participants gathered to clarify current hate crime laws and support the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act, for stricter legislation in the state. One participant was Jamie Byrd, 17-year-old daughter of James Byrd Jr., who wore a button proclaiming, "The most violent element in society is ignorance." "My best friend is white" Ms. Byrd said. "But I know it's not white people who did that to my dad, it was just one group who did it. I'd be miserable if I held a grudge all my life against white people; I know that what happened to my family could happen to anyone." FORGIVE, FORGET AND BE HEALTHY All major religious traditions and wisdoms extol the value of forgiveness. Forgiveness has been advocated for centuries as a balm for hurt and angry feelings. Professionals have observed from clinical practice that clients who were able to forgive saw improvement in psychological and sometimes physical health. Many sources suggest that forgiveness can lead to decreased anger, depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as enhanced well being, including peace of mind. from the Stanford University Forgiveness Project by Carl E. Thoresen, Ph.D. and Frederic Luskin, Ph.D.  |
