Collaborative conflict-resolution is better than intrapersonal forgiveness and mercy

Makai Allbert, in “An Unlikely Cure for a 9/11 Hero: How Forgiveness Improves Mental and Physical Health”, The Epoch Times, December 30, 2024*, typically ignores humankind’s greatest political philosophers regarding resolution of human conflict. Conflict may and can be resolved through communications rather than through intrapersonal rumination.

*Online at https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/the-priest-who-lost-it-all-then-found-an-unlikely-cure-5719645

Here’s what I think about Allbert’s topics and omissions. I end with Yeshua’s process for conflict resolution.

1.       Experiences like the 9/11 aftermath can cause people to ruminate, which is “to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly” quoting Merriam-Webster online.

a.       A search at Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy using “rumination” gave 3 articles, one on feminism, one on trans philosophy, and one on distributive justice.

                                                               i.      None used the word “religion”.

                                                             ii.      Distributive justice is of further interest. (I don’t know about the other two.}

1.       Civic integrity requires justice.

2.       Civic mean reliably responsible to necessary goodness.

b.       Personal rumination is what empowers religion and politics.

                                                               i.      Divinity schools know this but do not share awareness.

                                                             ii.      Politicians do everything they can to promote rumination, in order to promote their tyranny over the minds of the people.

                                                           iii.      Elite people perceive and resist rumination, in order to take advantage of gullible individuals.

                                                           iv.      Civic people do all they can to resolve human conflict.

c.       Rumination that fosters personal victimhood can be ruinous.

2.       Forgiveness is a promoted recourse.

a.       The article quotes Nelson Mandela, “Not to forgive is like drinking poison and waiting for your enemies to die from it”.

b.       Loren Toussaint promotes forgiving yourself, forgiving others, and feeling forgiven by God.

                                                               i.      Un-forgiveness invites rumination, depression, and suicide.

                                                             ii.      Use calming (mindfulness) practices: prayerfulness (prayer OK?), meditation, deep breathing, peaceful imagery, or spending time in nature.

c.       Michael Barry, a minister

                                                               i.      Un-forgiveness enhances health risks and forgiveness promotes wellness

                                                             ii.      Forgiveness neither forgetting nor speaking words

                                                           iii.      Happens in your heart

                                                           iv.      In self-forgiveness,

1.       Conscious decision to forgive

2.       Accept the wrongdoing committed

3.       Show repentance by being willing to correct past actions or behavior.

a.       What can I take away from my mistake? (Wisdom practice.)

d.       Fred Luskin of Stanford’s Forgiveness Project

                                                               i.      Forgiveness empowers confidence a person can cope with life.

                                                             ii.      Replace resentment and fear with civic appreciation and integrity.

                                                           iii.      Start with small happenings in order to train yourself.

                                                           iv.      Viktor Frankl said, “Those who have a ‘why’ to live can bear with almost any ‘how.’”

1.       The why is to preserve personal opportunity to pursue necessary goodness.

                                                             v.      Experiment with forgiveness.

1.       Start with family.

2.       Intention is key.

a.       Conflict resolution is the goal.

e.       Pope Francis, in 2016, renewed the jubilee year of forgiveness and mercy.

                                                               i.      The mystery goal is unconditional happiness.

f.        According to Worthington, of REACH forgiveness

                                                               i.      It’s a purely intrapersonal dynamic

1.       “for yourself and not for other people”.

2.       “without having to see or interact with that person again”

                                                             ii.      REACH: “Recall the hurt. Empathize with the person who hurt you. Give an altruistic, undeserved gift of forgiveness. Commit to that forgiveness that you experience emotionally. Hold onto that forgiveness when you doubt.”

1.       Emotions do not stand the test of time.

2.       Worthington’s traffic example did not involve actual harm.

g.       Harris recommended practicing gratitude (intrapersonal)

                                                               i.      Appreciation may and can be more collaborative

                                                             ii.      Visualize monkey bars.

1.       Grab the forward bar.

2.       Let go of the bar behind.

3.       Typically, this modern article overlooks history’s great political philosophers.

a.       King Ur-Nammu of Ur (2112–2095 BC) or 4100 years ago, oversaw in the oldest discovered law code, the statement, “Ur-Nammu the mighty warrior, king of Ur, king of Sumer and Akkad, by the might of Nanna, lord of the city, and in accordance with the true word of Utu, establish equity in the land; he banished malediction, violence and strife, and set the monthly Temple expenses at 90 gur of barley, 30 sheep, and 30 sila of butter. He fashioned the bronze sila-measure, standardized the one-mina weight, and standardized the stone weight of a shekel of silver in relation to one mina ... The orphan was not delivered up to the rich man; the widow was not delivered up to the mighty man; the man of one shekel was not delivered up to the man of one mina.” (Wikipedia)

b.       A couple hundred years later, maybe 3700 years ago, a Semitic-speaking scribe expressed Sumerian political philosophy in Genesis 1:26-28:  Humankind may and can rule to necessary goodness on earth.

c.       About 2500 years ago, Plato represented Agathon, in “Symposium”, and he argued with Socrates that humankind’s appreciation and desire is to practice necessary goodness.

d.       About 2000 years ago, Yeshua of Nazareth, abstractly asserted that each person can and may intend and reliably pursue necessary goodness.

e.       In 1791, the civic faction of We the People of the United States abstractly affirmed Genesis 1:26-28, ratifying the United States Constitution as amended by the first Congress “to ourselves and our Posterity”, quoting the preamble.

f.        In 1941, Albert Einstein informed humankind that research can only be reliable by those who pursue truth and understanding.

g.       Merriam-Webster online informs us “ineluctable” means the combination not to be avoided, changed, or resisted. The ineluctable truth may and can be discovered.

h.       The laws of physics, to the extent discovered, affirm the Sumerian political philosophy reflected in Genesis 1:26-28.

                                                               i.      DNA affirms human gender determined in conception.

                                                             ii.      Humankind routinely explores the cosmos, formerly called “the heavens”.

4.       Humankind, typically ignores Yeshua’s civic influence, at their own expense

a.       Matthew 18:15-17 presents Yeshua’s process for resolving human conflict

                                                               i.      If you perceive offense by someone, tell them in private.

1.       Only then can there be resolution.

2.       Their response may disclose your error.

a.       If so, you may apologize and make any needed amends.

b.       If not, they may admit guilt and restore loss.

                                                             ii.      If they don’t respond, present to someone else and persuade them to approach the accused with you.

1.       The third party may side with the accused.

2.       The accused may reject the joint presentation.

                                                           iii.      If accusation survived without reconciliation, persuade the public to hold a forum to consider the case.

                                                           iv.      Intrapersonal forgiveness and mercy prevent reconciliation.

b.       Matthew 18:18 affirms Genesis 1:26-28: human resolution will not be corrected.

c.       Matthew 19:4-5 affirms Genesis 1:26-28: couples may choose to flourish on earth.

d.       Matthew 5:48 affirms human power, authority, and responsibility.

e.       Matthew 22:21 asserts loyalty to civil leaders.

                                                               i.      Recall that Socrates died to uphold injustice against himself – to support the rule of law, even when the jury errs.

f.        I continually read, write, speak, and LISTEN to articulate more Yeshua-political-philosophy.

5.       Individuals miss Yeshua’s civic influence by exclusively extolling Jesus as a miracle worker on par with Elijah and/or by trusting Paul’s incarnated-God-blood in Christ, trusting the Holy Spirit. The civic citizen accepts Yeshua’s influence even while they may pursue Jesus or Christ or The Trinity.

a.       Government and spiritual institutions are responsible for this tyranny.

b.       Divinity schools collaborate with each other to uphold mysterious doctrine that appeals to some people rather than to promote civic integrity in humility toward actual-reality.

c.       Christianity, which could promote Yeshua’s political philosophy, claims about 31% of the world’s population and probably impacts 90% of happenings.

d.       Christianity clandestinely demands believers have correct assessments of Jesus, Christ, God, the Holy Spirit, and The Trinity, neglecting Yeshua.

e.       I do not think I am the only person who works to reform this travesty against humankind.

f.        I do not know the ineluctable truth.

If individuals practice Yeshua’s process for conflict resolution, soon institutions will follow, and before long most nations will fall in line. The laws of physics inform that utopia cannot be expected. I hope Allbert soon discovers Yeshua’s civic influence.

Copyright©2025 by Phillip R. Beaver. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for the publication of all or portions of this paper as long as this complete copyright notice is included.