Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Personal Responsibility and Aimless Apologies

Another commentary from Thomas Sowell that has the "ring of truth", I think. It also makes one think on the nature of forgiveness.Is there such a thing as aimless forgiveness? And what is the relationship of accountability, responsibility, grace, and forgiveness?

I have been encountering these thoughts in the context of defining the proper and just modus operandi when it comes to the restoration of leaders (of all stripes) who have moral failures.

Here's a point of contention: while Dr. Sowell is definitely worth reading, pondering, and even discussing, I do think that anyone in a role model or leadership situation DOES need to acknowledge their failures corporately as well. The other side of the coin of personal responsibility is responsibility as a citizen of society, culture and the moral universe.

In regard to the Tiger Woods apology, morality is not found in renouncing all desire, as TW pointed to from his Buddhist perspective, but in desiring the divine forgiveness and redemption found in the ONE who is the worthiest of all desires.

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