{"id":1268,"date":"2006-08-05T08:23:00","date_gmt":"2006-08-05T12:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/craigzablo.com\/?p=1268"},"modified":"2014-07-19T19:55:57","modified_gmt":"2014-07-19T23:55:57","slug":"mel-gibson-deserving-of-forgiveness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craigzablo.com\/?p=1268","title":{"rendered":"Mel Gibson: Deserving of Forgiveness?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A week ago Mel Gibson<\/span> was one of the most popular actors and directors in the world<\/span>. <\/span>Now many folks are saying that Gibson’s career<\/span> is over. Others aren’t so sure. I tend to believe that he will come out of this ok. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sure, his star will never shine as brightly. Some folks will completely turn their backs on him [showing the same kind of intolerance that Gibson<\/span> did during his drunken rants]. Still, I believe that most people are forgiving to those who deserve forgiveness, and Gibson<\/span> seems sincere in his efforts to earn his. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a statement Gibson <\/span>released earlier this week:<\/span><\/p>\n

“There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-Semitic remark. I want to apologize specifically to everyone in the Jewish community for the vitriolic and harmful words that I said to a law enforcement officer the night I was arrested on a DUI charge.<\/p>\n

I am a public person, and when I say something, either articulated and thought out, or blurted out in a moment of insanity, my words carry weight in the public arena. As a result, I must assume personal responsibility for my words and apologize directly to those who have been hurt and offended by those words.<\/p>\n

The tenets of what I profess to believe necessitate that I exercise charity and tolerance as a way of life. Every human being is God’s child, and if I wish to honor my God I have to honor his children. But please know from my heart that I am not an anti-Semite. I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith.<\/p>\n

I’m not just asking for forgiveness. I would like to take it one step further, and meet with leaders in the Jewish community, with whom I can have a one on one discussion to discern the appropriate path for healing.<\/p>\n

I have begun an ongoing program of recovery and what I am now realizing is that I cannot do it alone. I am in the process of understanding where those vicious words came from during that drunken display, and I am asking the Jewish community, whom I have personally offended, to help me on my journey through recovery. Again, I am reaching out to the Jewish community for its help. I know there will be many in that community who will want nothing to do with me, and that would be understandable. But I pray that that door is not forever closed.<\/p>\n

This is not about a film. Nor is it about artistic license. This is about real life and recognizing the consequences hurtful words can have. Its about existing in harmony in a world that seems to have gone mad.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mel Gibson has struggled with alcoholism<\/span> for years. Does that excuse his behavior? Of course not. Gibson<\/span> has admitted his problems and has asked for help in his road to recovery not only from the bottle, but also from whatever demons caused his narrow-minded anti-semitic outbursts<\/span>. Gibson<\/span> has even appealed to Jewish leaders<\/span> across the country to meet with him so he can begin his healing.<\/p>\n

While I have no tolerance for bigots<\/span>, I have even less for those who drink and drive<\/span>. Still, I believe in redemption and forgiveness<\/span> for those who deserve it. Time will tell if Mel Gibson<\/span> does.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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