Forgiveness as a Core Prerequisite for the Good of Society - Essay Example

Christian societies and cultures built on Christian grounds become forgiving societies. However, this is quite different from cultures based on Islam. Although the Islamic religion upholds forgiveness as a virtue, there is an appreciable deviation from this virtue. Islamic-based cultures opt to have everyone accountable for their own actions (Ferrante, 2012). It is, therefore, not surprising that most terrorist groups are claimed to come from Islamic communities. Instead of forgiveness, they prefer that justice be done to offenders.

The above example can lead to relativism. Whereas one culture believes that forgiveness is a core prerequisite for the greater good of society, the other culture believes that each bad action deserves equal punishment. Both cultures can justify their reasoning. For instance, Christian-based cultures may reason that forgiveness is an act of love that teaches others not to do the same bad act and that even the bad people in society deserve a second chance. On the other hand, Islamic-based cultures may argue that punishment is the best method of deterring others from doing the same act. According to them, harsh punishment takes precedence over forgiveness. This is a good example of relativism.