> It may sound like a dumb question, but what does repentance and restoration
> mean? I think there is a difference between repentance and a sense of
> guilt; I've seen a few people who use guilt as an excuse to continue doing
> stuff (it's okay as long as I feel guilty afterwards); guilt in itself,
> I don't think really accomplishes anything.
Exactly! People often use a tolerable sense of guilt to justify continuing to
do nothing, which is as bad as suppressing and justifying evil behavior.
Repentance means to be not only sorry, but to cease doing the unjust thing,
begin to do what is right and when that really happens, some sort of
restoration must follow.
> And how can things be restored? The land is not what it once was;
When there is real repentance, conscience will provide an acceptable
guide.
> there really isn't any way of turning time backwards...
The future can be changed, though, and the injustice of the past does
not in any way condone behavior by those alive now to continue the
injustices of their parents. Failure to redress means they are not
overtly different from their parents - just that, as you observe, they
have developed a balancing set of guilt in order to change nothing.
> I understand, injustices are still being done (how could anyone read
> the stuff on this list and not understand this?), feel rather
> powerless to stop them and wonder what my responsibilities are and
> how to fulfill them? How does one go about taking part in restoration
> and repentance?
Apathy and alienation are defining characteristics of the sick
twentieth century American culture. Finding real values to substitute
for the empty ones advertised by mass culture will have the side benefit
of abolishing that sense of powerlessness. To change the world, it is
necessary to have oneself changed first.
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