Updated July 21, 2022 554 Author: Dmitry Petrov
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Lent and coronavirus (what is this?) are two excellent reasons to talk about repentance.
This topic is very important for Russian culture; it runs like a red thread through all Russian literature.
Today we will talk about how to write an essay on the topic “Repentance”.
Repentance is...
The concept of “repentance” is closely related to the theme of sin and repentance. It relates to the phenomena of spiritual life and is cognized in the system of moral coordinates.
Repentance is a person’s awareness of his imperfection, bitter regret for his actions and the desire for spiritual renewal.
In a word, in order to feel remorse, you need to experience a feeling of deep guilt, sincere regret about what happened . Only after this will a desire arise in the human soul to improve, to start a new life.
In Christianity, the main cleansing action for the repentant is the Sacrament of Confession.
By confessing his sin to God, a Christian expresses the will to say goodbye forever to bad thoughts and deeds that led to sin. He not only admits what he did, but also vows not to return to it in the future.
Deep, sincere repentance transforms a person’s soul, completely changing him.
Everyone can experience this state, but for some, to realize guilt, it is enough to listen to the voice of conscience, while others need a push from the outside world, some kind of retribution in the form of an event indicating that it is impossible to go further along the same path.
Why is it important to admit your mistakes?
In the human mind, the idea that he can be mistaken, that he can make a mistake, gives rise to the most severe resistance, which is easily explained by the mind being overcrowded with cognitive distortions, as if shouting: “You are right, so do not take into account any arguments that indicate the opposite.”
The following are common cognitive distortions:
– confirmation bias (people tend to pay attention and remember only those data that support their views, other information is simply ignored);
– illusion of truth (a person believes that he understands and evaluates an event more correctly and more intelligently than others);
– anchoring or anchoring effect (when an individual relies excessively on one piece of information and forms his own views solely on such information).
However, the ability to hear outside opinions, take them into account, and rethink one’s own position can qualitatively improve one’s life.
People who are willing to reconsider their own views and are capable of genuine repentance are less likely to worry and are less likely to suffer from depressive moods.
What is repentance and why is it necessary? This is an admission of bad deeds committed and regret for one’s own misdeeds. Of course, admitting mistakes alone cannot change the past, but it can help cleanse the soul. This is important for the possibility of personal self-improvement.
That's what repentance is in a nutshell. This is something without which personal progress, growth, and self-development will be impossible.
How to write an essay on the topic “What is repentance”
At the beginning of your essay, it’s a good idea to remember quotes (what is this?) about repentance. You can choose your favorites here: Based on them, write a few of your own theses (how is that?) that set the tone for the conversation.
For example: “Repentance is necessary in order to wash away the dirt that has stuck to it from the soul. Just as they wash windows in the spring, they cleanse the heart with tears of repentance. Then it becomes clear and transparent like glass.”
In the second paragraph (the main part) you need to illustrate your points with examples from the literature .
Remember the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Sholokhov, Rasputin: all the suffering egoists and reflective characters , all the heroes with a “break” and a “wormhole”. All of them, as a rule, regret something. Otherwise there would be no point in talking about them.
In the last paragraph, draw a conclusion about why repentance is given to a person. The essay will look more advantageous if you say a few words on your own behalf .
For example: “I also felt guilty more than once. I am ashamed of one of the actions that turned my life upside down. Perhaps, if I had not said rash words then, my friend would still be around.”
“How do you understand the meaning of the word repentance?” - composition
Repentance is the ability to realize and correct the consequences of one’s bad and stupid actions. A person does not always do something consciously. Often he simply goes with the flow, follows his instincts and desires. He can easily offend another and cause pain, without knowing why. It’s just that at that moment he was controlled by anger, indifference, and a desire to offend.
Everyone has the right to make mistakes, but not everyone is able to repent and sympathize with the one they hurt. A repentant person becomes better and wiser, he reconsiders his attitude towards people. A person realizes the stupidity and meaninglessness of his actions and learns a lesson from what happened.
The boy Vitka from this text also understood what his mistake was and sincerely repented: “That this girl could not have done differently, could not set up her comrade, could not allow the one who acted stupidly to suffer, but realized her mistake and repents of what he has done.”
My mother once gave me advice in a difficult situation. She insisted that I do what she thought was right. Because of my stubbornness, I didn’t want anyone to make decisions for me. I still did it my way. But after a while, my conscience began to torment me, I understood that no one would worry so much and no one would instruct me like my mother. I felt remorse for my disobedience. And henceforth, thanks to this repentance, I tried not to upset her anymore.
Examples of repentance from literature
Now let's see how the theme of repentance is reflected in literature. The arguments found (what is this?) will decorate our essay and generally allow us to find support in this issue.
The work that immediately comes to mind is F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “ Crime and Punishment .” Everyone knows its plot, connected with the murder of an old pawnbroker by student Rodion Raskolnikov.
Using this example in the essay, we must remember that Raskolnikov did not commit a crime out of self-interest. For him, it was important to “transcend”, to break the prohibitions imposed by religion and public morality. The young man thought that he would change society by destroying one of the useless (and even harmful, in his opinion) creatures.
However, the spilled blood weighed heavily on his conscience (how is that?). Raskolnikov became ill, breaking the laws of humanity within himself. He realized that he had no right to control other people's lives. Thoughts about what he had done and his acquaintance with Sonya Marmeladova gradually made him repent.
Raskolnikov found the way to God through sin, the severity of retribution and hard labor.
In every work of Dostoevsky there is an example of repentance. If you have not read Crime and Punishment, pay attention to the novel The Brothers Karamazov .
Three brothers Ivan, Dmitry and Alyosha, as well as their illegitimate paternal brother, lackey Smerdyakov, are indirectly involved in the murder of their father, Fyodor Karamazov. The detective background of the story is complicated by the fact that at some point each of the brothers begins to feel guilty for what happened.
A man of reason, Ivan conducts conversations with the devil, trying to understand whether he loved or did not love his father, could or could not commit murder. The motif of duality, characteristic of all of Dostoevsky’s work, is used.
The temperamental Mitya, whose character personifies the extremes of the Russian soul, also feels repentance: he was his father’s rival in love and more than once wished his death in his thoughts. Even the younger brother, novice Alyosha, feels his involvement in this terrible death: he could not prevent the evil.
Only Smerdyakov, whose hands committed the murder, does not feel remorse: he is too primitive for this. The interweaving of penitential motives creates a unique kaleidoscope of Russian characters.
Finally, a classic example of repentance can be considered the episode of the meeting of Onegin and Tatyana in St. Petersburg in Pushkin’s novel “ Eugene Onegin ”.
Having rejected the love of a young girl, Eugene leaves the village for the right to remain free. Many years later, seeing Tatyana as a brilliant married lady, he calls his freedom “hateful.” Evgeny is bitter to realize that the time when he was loved has passed, that Tatyana will not break the vow made at the wedding.
Pushkin says nothing about the hero’s feeling of guilt before the murdered Lensky. The novel remained unfinished, and therefore Onegin’s character, even in the last chapters, does not seem deep enough.
But Eugene’s renewed view of the world, his capacity for love, tell us about changes in his soul and sincere repentance.
Text of the book “Psychology of Conscience. Guilt, shame, remorse"
Chapter 6. Getting rid of guilt and shame
There are several ways to get rid of guilt and shame.
For example, at least five methods can be used to get rid of guilt (Fig. 6.1). Rice. 6.1. Ways to get rid of guilt
Let's look at each of them.
6.1.
Repentance Repentance is self-condemnation, a person’s regret that he acted this way and not otherwise.
As K. D. Ushinsky (1974) notes, Aristotle and Spinoza did not distinguish shame from repentance, and yet, he believes, the differences are very significant. On this occasion, he writes: “We can repent even when we are sure that no one will know about our action, and without bearing in mind the opinions of other people; Shame under such conditions is impossible. The difference between repentance and shame is expressed even more clearly in the struggle between these two states of mind, which we can often notice both in ourselves and in others. It is a very common phenomenon that a feeling of shame prompts a person to hide his action, and a feeling of remorse prompts him to reveal it” (p. 409).
Repentance is a serious moral and psychological act. The guilty person admits his guilt, regrets what he has done and asks to forgive him, to lighten his soul, to remove the burden of guilt from it.
Repentance is usually talked about outside of a religious context. A person does evil to people, feels guilty and repents, that is, deeply regrets what happened and makes a firm decision in advance to never do anything like that again. Repentance is not at all an endless beating of one’s chest and sprinkling ashes on one’s head, after which one cheerfully goes on to misbehave further. This is a radical change in your behavior, your assessments, perhaps your entire life path. You cannot start a new life with the burden of old guilt. Sincere repentance helps a person to renew himself, to become better, higher, more moral. Now he needs willpower to put his moral decision into practice.
A Viking who killed another Viking either came to the family of the murdered man and offered himself as a slave, or compensated him with money (very big money). Or a blood feud began: the clan of the murdered man considered itself entitled to kill someone from the murderer’s clan. In this sense, the entire clan bore responsibility for the unlucky relative.
6.2.
Apology, request for forgiveness Apology
These are social tools. Through a sincere apology, we acknowledge violations of social norms and expectations, take responsibility for the consequences of our actions, and repair gaps in our relationships. And thus we restore our social connections.
Every person has to apologize and ask for forgiveness, because people offend each other, do not fulfill the promises they make, and cause, sometimes unintentionally, damage to other people. But sooner or later we all come to the conclusion that we got carried away, and therefore we need to ask for forgiveness.
In order to ask for forgiveness, at least two things are required. The first is awareness of one's guilt. The second is public recognition (the spouse, even being the only spectator of this action, is already an audience).
When it comes to apologizing (that is, publicly admitting guilt), a person experiences serious discomfort. So serious that quite often he prefers to leave everything as it is, instead of squeezing out at least a modest “sorry”. There are three main reasons for this: pride, stubbornness and fear.
Mostly men suffer from pride. Especially those that belong to the type of so-called brutal (ultra-masculine) representatives of the sex. For such men, admitting guilt is tantamount to admitting their own weakness. To admit guilt to a woman is to admit oneself doubly weak. For example, it is generally not customary for Nigerian men (as, indeed, for men in many other African countries) to apologize to anyone (and especially to a woman). Such behavior is considered humiliating, shameful and stains the honor (read: Ego) of a great warrior. This is a national African feature.
Stubbornness is akin to pride. It arises when both parties are equally “proud” or, rather, the degree of guilt of both spouses is approximately the same. As a rule, in these cases, the intervention of an arbitrator is required - one of the relatives or friends who would be able to defuse the situation and “resolve” the situation.
Fear is a completely understandable feeling if admitting guilt is associated with responsibility for what you have done. In addition, many fear that a public confession could turn into an “official” license for further reproaches. Apologizing in this case is the same as voluntarily laying down military weapons and remaining defenseless and vulnerable. Many are also afraid of the fact of possible publicity.
Pride, fear, and stubbornness are serious psychological barriers.
Basic but not exceptional. There may well be other compelling reasons that keep a person from publicly admitting guilt. Nevertheless, experts advise not to delay the apology. Source: charla.ru/user/blog/6871
In the case of offense, the main purpose of an apology should be to relieve the offended person's emotional pain, as well as to obtain their genuine forgiveness. And for a sincere apology to be effective, it must be focused on the other person’s needs and feelings, not your own. We need to try to make not only the offender feel better, but also the offended.
An apology, in order to be effective, must include the following key points: 1) a clear and concise expression of regret for what happened; 2) recognition that social norms have been violated; 3) acknowledgment of another person's feelings under the influence of your actions; 4) asking for forgiveness.
There are over fifty ways to say “sorry” in Japanese. And in general, in eastern countries it is customary to apologize for every reason (and for no reason). Perhaps this is simply a tribute to social tradition, and not sincere repentance.
The Americans conducted a small experiment. The waiter of one of the roadside cafes gave change, each time shortchanging in favor of the client. Then after a while he returned, explained the situation and asked for the money back.
This was repeated with several dozen subjects. People don't like to part with money, so almost everyone's reaction was negative. And only those cheated who heard “sorry” from the waiter immediately calmed down and returned the money.
How to apologize properly?
I regret
. Start apologizing with this phrase. Gradually add words that convey the meaning of what you did. Watch the reaction of the offended person. If there is still displeasure on your face, ask what else you need to repent of.
I was (or was) wrong.
Agree with the accusations and accept the blame. You can say this: “Forgive me, I was wrong. I should have listened to you and not acted as I did.”
How can I make amends?
Restitution, or compensation for damage, works especially well in critical situations. You need to say something like this: “How can I make up for my guilt?”
I repent of my actions
. Repentance is the key to remission of sins. And not only in religious terms. The same thing happens in real life. In fact, this is the final acceptance of the position of the offended or the accuser. It sounds like this: “I will never do that again.”
Please forgive me
. A request for forgiveness is the final chord of the incident, which after a couple of minutes will be completely exhausted.
The main thing is not to consider an apology as something humiliating. Oddly enough, those around you are not particularly in a hurry to forgive. It is important for people how exactly they will be apologized to.
American psychologist Gary Chapman and consultant Jennifer Thomas, in their book “The Five Languages of Forgiveness,” offer several simple but effective phrases: “I’m sorry” is a way to express regret; “I was wrong” – willingness to take responsibility for one’s actions; “What can I do to improve the situation?” - desire to compensate for damage; “I will do everything not to repeat this again” - sincere repentance; “Please forgive me” is an open desire to receive forgiveness from the offended person.
Even the most thorough preparation can be useless if at the most crucial moment a person gets confused and forgets all the words he had prepared in advance. In this case, the main thing is to try to be sincere. It is quite enough to say “sorry” or “forgive” and indicate the offense for which an apology is being offered. We must not forget about one phrase that many people find easier to say: “I’m sorry.” It frees you from taking all the blame for the current situation, but it is quite suitable for asking for forgiveness.
The conversation should be kept as short as possible and without lengthy excuses. It is also preferable to refrain from using words like “if” and “but”. Such excuses can blur the impression, since they clearly indicate coercion. The request for forgiveness should be restrained and look as natural as possible. The plea, the unhappy expression on the face, the strain in the voice and the sobbing are best left for the theatrical stage. In real life it looks fake.
For an apology to be accepted as sincere, gestures during a conversation should not contradict the meaning of the words spoken. If a person averts his eyes to the side, turns his body away from the interlocutor, is tense and mutters his words through clenched teeth, his words may seem false. Sincerity is always better than the desire to appear independent, independent and strong.
After making an apology, the offended person may need time to sort out their feelings. Therefore, at the end of the conversation, you just need to thank the interlocutor and mentally prepare for the fact that his reaction can be anything - from positive to sharply negative. If the offended person begins to show his dissatisfaction, there is a risk of aggravating the quarrel. In this case, it is better to calmly listen to the response, thank you and leave it at that.
Many people do not consider it necessary to apologize, getting off with playful repentance or making amends with flowers or gifts, or even generally behaving as if nothing had happened. This happens for various reasons. Some believe that their internal recognition of their mistakes is quite enough, while others sincerely do not understand the importance of apologies at all.
Most often, men neglect apologies. Even in cases where they cannot avoid this, they often choose such formulations as if they are doing a favor - “I’m sorry if
I offended you”, “
if
anyone was offended by my rudeness, I apologize.” That is, the words of apology sound in such a way that they do not imply sincerity of repentance, but are a simple formality.
In a situation where a person did not ask for forgiveness immediately after offending someone, in the future it is worth choosing the right moment for this conversation, since after some time the apology may lose its meaning. Most men and women interviewed agreed that any reconciliation should happen naturally and quickly. The ideal period is a day from the moment of the quarrel. The maximum that the offended can endure is three days. After this, a psychological “alienation zone” sets in: the level of trust in the offender decreases, the number of hopes associated with him decreases, and it becomes almost indifferent whether this relationship continues. And in this case, you will have to make efforts to not only apologize, but also restore trust.
As for the place, it can be anything, as long as the conversation takes place without witnesses. If for some reason this is difficult to do, you can express your regrets in writing. This option is especially convenient if the offended person does not allow him to speak out in person. It is very important to read the text carefully before submitting and try to clear up any ambiguities. You can only ask for forgiveness by e-mail in the case of a person you do not know personally. An apology over the phone is possible if the interlocutor is far away. And psychologists unanimously recognize an SMS message as an absolutely unacceptable way to convey their feelings.
Psychologists advise sticking to strict principles and never apologizing in the following situations.
First of all, you cannot ask for forgiveness for your love for a person, because there is nothing wrong with that. Moreover, a person cannot control such feelings, and therefore, if you are experiencing a feeling of unrequited love, no one has the right to blame you for it. There is also no need to apologize for the end and breakup of relationships, especially painful ones for you.
Very often we feel guilty for refusing, which is often used by selfish people, as well as experienced salespeople in stores. At the same time, if you want to become more confident in yourself, an apology cannot be made even as a polite turn of phrase when refusing, and certainly not worth explaining the reasons for the latter.
You cannot apologize and make excuses for loving yourself. You have every right to take time for yourself and spend your money on yourself, and no one should blame you for it.
There is no need to apologize for your own dreams, goals and priorities, unless, of course, they are anti-social and aimed at harming others.
Also, according to psychologists, there is no need to feel guilty, much less apologize for your own imperfections, especially for non-compliance with the canons of beauty and style, because such standards are a convention, not a norm or obligation.
Don't place someone else's blame on your shoulders or apologize on behalf of another person. Firstly, because you have no “merit” in the behavior of other people, and secondly, this will not help the culprit realize his mistakes.
There can be no fault in voicing the truth, and therefore do not rush to apologize.
Of course, if you presented it too harshly, you should ask for forgiveness precisely for the way you did it, but not for the words themselves. Source: ladysportal.ru/news/2015–06–05–1551
The most effective apology should include the offender accepting responsibility for his actions, expressing regret for the situation and empathy for the person offended, and offering some kind of compensation for the harm caused. It is best for the abuser to avoid making excessive excuses for his behavior or asserting the validity of his behavior. You should also express regret about your behavior, and not about the reaction of the offended person. If the offender tells the victim, “I'm sorry that you are suffering,” but does not express remorse for his own behavior that is the cause of the suffering, he thereby implies that the offender is responsible for his own offense (Lazare, 1995).
Forgiveness
[36]
36
When writing this section, the article by E. A. Gassin (1999) was used.
[Close] is the prerogative of the one who has been harmed. In the case of ordinary relationships, this is another person, other people. In the case of religious relationships - God. Forgiveness is an act of generosity and mercy, since often the punishment of the offender is less than he deserves. Forgiveness given to the victim, as it were, symbolically destroys the harm caused, making the negative relationship between the two parties positive again, free from resentment or hatred. A person can be forgiven by another if he admits that he acted unjustly, asks for forgiveness, and commits not to commit the same offenses in the future. From a Christian perspective, the offended should not wait for the offender to repent, and should not limit the number of forgiveness (Enright, Zell, 1989). It is important to keep in mind that forgiveness should also be asked if another is harmed accidentally, unintentionally.
To receive forgiveness, the offender must take a number of steps (Enright, 1996).
Steps to obtaining forgiveness
: situation awareness phase, decision-making phase, action phase, result phase.
Awareness phase:
1. Formal denial, but internal recognition that I have offended another person.
2. Feelings of guilt, remorse, possibly anger towards yourself.
3. Feelings of shame (feeling that others are judging and rejecting me).
4. Awareness of catharsis.
5. Awareness of cognitive rehearsal.
6. Comparing yourself with the offended person, understanding how he suffers, comparing relationships before and after the offense.
7. Understanding that the person offended by me could have experienced irreversible negative changes due to my fault.
8. The awareness that my self-perception has changed for the worse (the level of self-criticism has increased, perhaps, self-esteem has decreased).
During this phase, the offender recognizes that he has hurt another and goes through a series of cognitive and emotional reactions caused by this fact. He may experience guilt and shame, and constantly think about the offense he has caused. As a result of self-criticism, the offender must re-evaluate himself.
Decision phase:
1. Understanding that I need to change my relationship with the one I offended.
2. The desire to receive forgiveness. This may involve apologizing and trying to make amends for the damage done. I may mistakenly think that I can force the offended person to forgive me.
3. Understanding that forgiveness received is a gift.
In this phase, the offender understands that he must do something to correct the conflict situation, so he expresses a desire to receive forgiveness. If the offended person is not yet ready for forgiveness, the offender must wait patiently and humbly.
Action phase:
1. Reconsidering my understanding of the offended person, realizing that the offended person is suffering and needs some time to pass so that he can forgive.
2. Empathy towards the offended.
3. Showing compassion for the offended person or the desire to patiently suffer with him.
4. Acceptance of pain: I am ready to endure the anger of the offended and accept the difficulties of my path to forgiveness.
This phase is associated with understanding the situation in which the offended person finds himself, and the attempt of the offender to take his place, with a willingness to suffer, experiencing remorse.
Result phase:
1. Finding meaning in suffering as a result of the offense I caused and in the difficult path to forgiveness.
2. Understanding that I am not alone and that others have also been in similar situations.
3. Finding a new goal (how can I continue to live differently than before).
4. Liberation from feelings of guilt and remorse, perhaps a feeling of gratitude to the offended.
5. Reconciliation with the offended person can begin or continue.
People's attitudes towards forgiveness vary. In one case, forgiveness is seen as a sign of weakness
(F. Nietzsche).
In other cases, forgiveness is seen as a manifestation of a desire for superiority
.
There may be situations where the offender is constantly reminded that he is “indebted” to the one who has forgiven him. In still some cases, forgiveness is seen as a sign of disrespect for others
(Haber, 1991).
F. Nietzsche argued that forgiveness means that we do not consider others responsible for our own actions, we do not consider them capable of following moral principles. Finally, forgiveness is equated with trampling justice
. By forgiving, a person is deprived of the opportunity to seek justice, and, even worse, injustice is strengthened.
In reality, true forgiveness is a high moral act in which there is no place for immoral goals.
Forgiveness is an important act for one who finds himself in the position of a culprit. It has been revealed (Gassin, 1997) that the effect of receiving forgiveness is expressed in improving the relationship with the forgiver, weakening self-condemnation, improving the offender’s opinion of the offended person, and positive internal moral changes. But forgiveness is also important for those who have been offended. Long-term preservation of feelings of resentment causes great moral and psychological damage to its bearer. The feeling of resentment dries out the offended person and makes him want revenge - inflicting retaliatory harm. Touchiness easily turns into resentment. Resentment provokes one to respond to evil with evil. Persistent resentment forces one to hurt another, which can result in one’s own feelings of guilt. That’s why forgiveness is an informal thing. Only forgiveness can break the weaving chain of mutual evil, hatred and the suffering that accompanies them.
Forgiveness is not dependent on any legal decisions. Grand Duchess Elizaveta Fedorovna visited the murderer of her husband A. A. Kalyaev in prison and granted him her personal forgiveness, but Kalyaev remained in prison in accordance with the law and was executed.
Psychologists have compiled models showing the mechanism of how an offended person comes to a decision to forgive. The most famous of these models is given below (Enright, 1991; Enright, 1996).
The stages of the forgiveness process are: discovery phase, decision phase, action phase, result phase.
Opening phase:
1. Understanding of psychological defense, recognition of the fact that the offense took place (Kiel, 1986).
2. Recognizing the presence of anger in order to get rid of it, rather than maintaining it (Treiner, 1981).
3. Acknowledging shame when appropriate (Patton, 1985).
4. Awareness of the expenditure of emotional energy on causing offense (Droll, 1984).
5. Awareness of personal involvement in cognitive “rehearsal” of the offense or constant thoughts about it (Droll, 1984).
6. Understanding that the offended person compares himself to the offender (Kiel, 1986).
7. Understanding that the offended person may be the victim of permanent negative change (Close, 1970).
8. Understanding changing views of justice in the world (Flanigan, 1987).
The main task of this phase is to honestly admit to oneself the presence of resentment and the negative experiences associated with it. The forgiver begins to understand that because of the offense, his life can forever change for the worse.
Decision phase:
1. A change in perception and a new understanding that previous strategies for getting rid of feelings of resentment do not work (North, 1987).
2. Willingness to view forgiveness as a preferable choice.
3. Willingness to forgive the offender (Neblett, 1974).
Action phase:
1. Reconsidering your own views on the offender and the situation as a whole by trying on different roles.
2. Empathy towards the offender.
3. Awareness of one's own sympathy for the offender (Droll, 1984).
4. “Absorption” of inevitable pain (Bergin, 1988).
This phase is associated with understanding the situation and the emotional state of the offender, but not with justifying him. If we understand what the offender experienced before offending you, we can reconsider the situation and soften our attitude towards the offender.
Result phase:
1. Finding personal meaning for oneself and others in suffering and forgiveness (Frankl, 1959).
2. Understanding your own need for forgiveness from others in the past.
3. Understanding the fact that a person is not isolated from others.
4. Understanding that the experience of resentment can change the purpose of life.
5. Awareness of the decrease in negative and possible increase in positive feelings and attitudes of the offender and understanding of the internal resolution of the situation (Smedes, 1984).
Associated with this phase is the realization that we ourselves are not angels and that forgiveness can benefit both the offender and the offended.
Enright et al. (1989) identified the conditions under which an offender is forgiven.
1. Forgiveness is based on revenge: I can forgive the offender only if I punish him in a measure proportional to my own suffering.
2. Forgiveness based on restitution: if I get back what I lost, or if I receive an apology.
3. Forgiveness is given if others want it.
4. Forgiveness in accordance with the requirements of my religion.
5. Forgiveness as a means of achieving social harmony: I forgive because it creates good relations in society.
6. Forgiveness as love for one's neighbor, without any conditions.
Forgiveness in accordance with the third and fourth conditions, that is, under external pressure, may be performed reluctantly and be of a formal nature.
Children base forgiveness on the first – third conditions, adults – on the fourth – sixth conditions, although some of them can forgive based on the first of these conditions. This can have a negative impact on the emotional state of the offended, as was identified in the work of Huang (1990). According to his data, people who gave forgiveness under external pressure, when talking about a painful episode, showed a rise in blood pressure, often smiled falsely and lowered their eyes. This shows that these people still experience negative emotions.
Forgiveness has been shown to be associated with the absence of depression and anxiety, as well as self-esteem (Al-Mabuk et al., 1995; Hebl and Enright, 1993).
It is believed that if the offender apologizes, the offender is more willing and able to grant forgiveness (Darby and Schlenker, 1982; McCullough et al., 1997; Weiner, 1991).
As shown by A. S. Chukova (2011), the conditions for forgiveness and the attitude towards forgiveness are closely interrelated with the socio-psychological characteristics of the individual. Internal conditions for forgiveness, which are developed on the basis of moral motives, the interests of the second subject of forgiveness, readiness for forgiveness are associated with pronounced empathic tendencies, altruistic and communicative orientations of the individual, a socio-psychological attitude towards altruism and are not associated with an attitude towards selfishness. In order for an apology to be as effective as possible, it is important to focus on the feelings of the offended person, and not on your own.
External conditions for forgiveness, which are developed based on one’s own interests and benefits, are associated with the gloristic orientation of the individual (focus on self-affirmation) and the socio-psychological orientation towards selfishness. Willingness to forgive presupposes the rare experience of negative feelings when an offense is caused (anger, irritation, disgust towards the offender); a rare experience of gloating and superiority over the offender at the moment of asking for forgiveness, but frequent - pity and love for the offender.
A. S. Chukova highlighted the content-dynamic characteristics of forgiveness as an independent socio-psychological phenomenon. These characteristics are: measure, selectivity, partiality.
Measure of forgiveness
suggests that forgiveness can be complete or partial: complete forgiveness seems to be unconditional, while partial forgiveness is given subject to some conditions. The measure of forgiveness is given to the offended primarily on the basis of a moral assessment of the act.
Partiality
manifests itself in the fact that for the same subject of forgiveness there is a number of actions that can be forgiven one way or another, taking into account certain circumstances, and a number of actions that cannot be forgiven under any circumstances. Partiality can illustrate the phenomenon of understanding not only the inner world of another, but also self-understanding: it is easier for a person to forgive those actions for which he once had to seek forgiveness himself.
Selectivity
is determined by the attitude towards the offender himself and depends on age, gender, social status, psychological distance of the object of forgiveness, etc. This characteristic is determined by the relationship with a positively significant person, as well as the phenomenon of interpersonal identification.
These characteristics of forgiveness in real life do not appear separately and in isolation, but in close unity with each other.
In table 6.1 presents data from A. S. Chukova on the conditions for granting forgiveness.
Table 6.1. Average values for assessing the admissibility of the conditions for granting forgiveness, points
Notes. Level of significance of differences: * – p < 0.05; *** – p < 0.000; assessment using the t-Student criterion.
From these data it follows that forgiveness is easier and more often granted in those situations that are accessible to the subject for rational explanation and understanding, which he himself once experienced and which cause less traumatic impact.
Forgiveness is easier and most often given to someone for whom there is attraction, condescension, and also to someone with whom one can identify.
Women forgive offenders more often and more easily than men. This is due to the fact that those areas of the brain that are involved during emotionally charged situations are almost eight times more developed in women than in men. And women, compared to men, produce more of the hormone serotonin, on which the ability to empathize and understand the feelings of others depends. This means that men tend to simply be less sensitive. They don’t realize that sometimes such a simple word “sorry” will turn the situation around much faster and easier than expensive gifts.
According to A. S. Chukova, the tendency to forgive offenders increases with age. But the older the offender, the more relevant forgiveness becomes for him out of a sense of duty; in addition to the motives of achieving peace and fear of what other people think of him, the older offender is guided by the motive of the desire for peace of mind in relation to the one whom he has offended, which may indicate the emergence of a mechanism of empathy in the offender in relation to the offended person.
A comparative analysis of the assessment of situations in which forgiveness can be granted or sought has shown that there are similarities between men and women in the assessment of most situations, with some exceptions. Women are more likely than men to grant forgiveness based on a search for psychological peace and health. For the same reason, women are more likely than men to seek forgiveness. In addition, women are more likely than men to forgive people under the influence of a request for forgiveness, as well as when they themselves feel guilty because the offender is worried about the wrongdoing, and assume that others have the right to make mistakes. In conditions of seeking forgiveness, women more often than men seek forgiveness in order to restore the previous relationship with the offended person, and more often than men they ask for forgiveness because they realize their guilt towards the offender. In table Table 6.2 presents the average values of assessments of the importance of the reasons and goals of forgiveness on the part of the offender.
Table 6.2. Average values of the importance of forgiveness goals, points
Notes. Level of significance of differences: * – p < 0.05; ** – p < 0.01; *** – p < 0.000; assessment using the t-Student criterion.
Among the reasons that force one to ask for forgiveness, the dominant place is occupied by a person’s internal well-being, his awareness of guilt, that is, remorse. External factors (thinking badly of me, being judged by others) are significantly less important. The goals of obtaining forgiveness (I want...) have slight differences in importance. The table data shows that women are more likely to ask for forgiveness than men, although there are not significant differences in all positions.
Comparative analysis of the results presented in table. 6.1 and 6.2 shows that there is much in common between the conditions for the offender seeking forgiveness and the conditions for granting forgiveness to the offended.
Thus, the most common completion of the phrase “most often I forgive in the case of...” is the answer “if a person has realized his guilt and asks for forgiveness,” and for the offender - “if I realize my guilt before this person.” As you can see, the key here is the offender’s awareness of guilt; it is in this case that forgiveness will most often be sought and granted. At the same time, it is worth noting that for the offended person, the fact of the offender’s request for forgiveness is also very important, which can serve as an indicator for the offended person that the offender has realized his guilt and repented. In other words, the offended person forgives not only on the basis of his own assumption or understanding that it is important for him to receive a verbal admission of guilt on the part of the offender.
Legal regulation of active repentance in Russia and the world
For the first time, the issues of using active repentance were considered by human society both in ancient and more ancient times. In particular, there is a reference to possible exemption from liability for crimes even in the Old Testament.
Today, various norms for mitigating criminal punishment for a crime accompanied by active repentance are present in most world countries. However, complete exemption from prosecution due to such repentance is provided only in the CIS countries, as well as in China, Mongolia, Latvia and South Korea.
note
In the above countries, in one form or another, there is a general criminal standard of active repentance, applied to a wide range of crimes. Certain nuances and the possibility of exemption from liability for specific crimes in the case of actual active repentance are present in the legislation of most countries of the world. In particular, for example, such a rule is present in almost all Criminal Codes and similar documents when releasing a hostage.
In Russia, the issues of applying the standards on active repentance are directly provided for in the Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes. In particular, such a concept is considered by the provisions of Art. 75 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, as well as Art. 28 Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. It should be noted that the application of standards on active repentance is not mandatory in Russian legislation, and the possibility of its application lies entirely on the side of the court.
Theory and practice
Active repentance is a chance to reduce legal consequences for the offender
To finally understand the nuances of closing a case on the basis of Article 75, let’s find out what the differences between the concepts of “voluntary refusal” and “active repentance” are.
In the first case, the actions of the culprit are similar to the case described.
Moreover, the key feature that influences the court’s decision is the good will of the criminal in disclosing the violation.
However, the material under consideration speaks of repentance after the act has been committed.
And in the first case, we are talking about the refusal of a member of a criminal group or an individual to commit a violation.
As for the legal interpretation of these terms, a special rule applies here.
Attention! Reluctance to complete a planned crime and voluntary reporting of such an action to the police is a reason for excluding a person from among those involved in criminal proceedings .
If the offender repents after committing the crime, then he participates in the process as an accused . This point is explained by the presence of a violation. However, it is the assistance to the investigation and the combination of the factors listed above that give the court the right to issue an acquittal verdict.
Basic legal definitions
Let's begin our review of the material with a definition of legal terms. Active repentance of the perpetrator of the incident presupposes a behavioral complex in which the offender cooperates with the investigation . Such actions of the accused citizen contribute to a mitigation of the probable sentence. However, in such circumstances, the court has the right to take into account the motives of the defendant.
If the offender realizes the gravity of the crime and cooperates with the investigation, there is a chance of avoiding criminal liability under Art. 75 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation
If such a person does not experience genuine remorse for the violation committed, the article in question does not apply. When the criminal shows repentance and proves a true desire to atone for his guilt, the court takes such behavior into account. Interpretation of the offender’s ultimate goal presupposes an assessment of this person’s actual actions.
Attention! The legal instrument in question works in relation to people who have committed an illegal act for the first time, or persons who are charged with crimes of minor gravity.
However, certain aspects of Article 75 allow for a reduction in the expected sentence even for criminals accused of offenses of moderate gravity. The main thing is proof of an admission of guilt and the corresponding actions of the defendant in this direction. Moreover, the described behavior assumes that the accused citizen does not pose a danger in society. Although in reality there are no such guarantees.
Classification by type and shape
Let's move on to consider the typical characteristics that are inherent in a repentant criminal. In such situations, the person who committed the crime commits the following actions:
- Appearance before the investigative body . A person accused of a crime independently visits an investigator to confess to an illegal act.
- Assistance in the investigation . This moment means the active and voluntary participation of the offender in investigative actions. Moreover, the goal in such a situation is to objectively establish the circumstances of the case.
- Compensation for loss to the injured party . The attempt of the offender to compensate for the damage caused to the victim is also considered evidence of an admission of guilt. Moreover, such a case assumes full satisfaction of the plaintiff’s demands in connection with the active repentance of the culprit.
In addition, legal regulations allow that it is appropriate for a person who claims leniency to prove that there is no danger to others. In other words, the actions of such people indicate a correction of the situation and are aimed at stabilizing their own social position.
Nuances
Let us discuss certain aspects of the topic under consideration, which gain weight during the trial of such criminal cases. Here we will talk about the motives that prompt the accused citizen to perform the complex of actions described above. The reasons that deserve attention in court are considered to be sincere repentance and sympathy for the victim .
In some situations, the accused make a “deal” with the investigation, guided by mercantile calculations
In addition, the fact of the desire to disclose the details of the incident in order to avoid punishment of innocent persons will also play in favor of the criminal. A plus here is the person’s desire to put an end to his criminal past for further socialization. However, judicial practice says that individuals are guided by other motives.
Important! The goal of such criminals is to deceive the investigation in order to hide the true details of the act.
In some situations, the offender is driven by the fear of receiving the maximum punishment. Accordingly, imitation of repentance is also practiced here to avoid harsh measures. Although the court does not take these points into account, the prosecution has the right to demand tougher punishment in such circumstances. The legislation does not establish the boundary stage of the investigation at which the accused has access to the tool in question.
Conditions for the use of active repentance
The desire of the criminal alone in such a situation may not be enough. Thus, to apply active repentance, the following requirements must be met:
- the injured party should not have an objection;
- the decision made by the investigator on the use of active repentance must be confirmed by the prosecutor;
- All criminal procedural rules must be observed.
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Application of the provisions
The serious illness of the accused is not a reason for refusing to apply Article 75 in case of failure to appear at the police station
Now we will discuss the conditions under which the court has the right to take into account the desire of the accused to renounce his criminal past and issue an acquittal.
As noted above, legal regulations require compliance with the entire list of conditions described.
However, in such cases there are likely to be some nuances. In such situations, it is appropriate to consider exceptions to the general rule.
The accused citizen claims leniency if he does not confess, but proves that the current circumstances are a consequence of external pressure.
Here we are talking about the influence of other subjects of violation.
The second option is failure to report to the police due to serious illness.
By documenting his own innocence, the accused gets a chance to be acquitted.
Attention! If the crime did not cause material harm to other persons, the court does not have the right to demand compensation from the perpetrator of the incident to the victims.
The same rule applies in cases where the victim of a crime refuses to accept financial compensation for the loss. However, it is appropriate to record such a moment during the trial. In addition, the legislation takes the side of the criminal if he confesses after the violation has been discovered, but before his own arrest.
This provision is interpreted as follows: the offender’s ignorance of the successes of the investigation, coupled with the desire to help solve the crime, is a reason for showing leniency. With regard to the gravity of the offense, sincere regret for the deed and the loss of public danger, here legal norms do not imply the use of exceptions. This point also applies to crimes that are committed for the first time.
How to make a petition?
The petition can be drawn up personally by the person who committed the crime or his legal representative. The following must be indicated:
- from whom and where the petition is submitted;
- case number, date of opening, full name of the investigator;
- circumstances of the case;
- the reason why active repentance may be applied;
- please apply Article 75 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation;
- Attached documents;
- date and signature.
It is better if such a petition is drawn up by a lawyer, since it is competent from a legislative point of view, and it is beneficial for the citizen who submits the petition to describe the facts.
You can get advice on how to apply active repentance from our lawyers for free.
