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god

English translation: yes, to the extend it has been given to him by god

03:50 May 20, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Religion
English term or phrase: god
Nevertheless, can man repent of himself? No more than he can pardon or expiate himself. Repentance is no less the gift of God than is forgiveness and it cannot be experienced except as it is given to the soul.
----
From this text, can man repent of himslef?
adda
Selected answer:yes, to the extend it has been given to him by god
Explanation:
The abilities of repentence, forgiveness and expiation are God's gift to man. If a man has been equipped by God with these gifts, then he can repent of himself.

The key words are in the last line ... "except as it is given to the soul".

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Note added at 1 hr 3 mins (2005-05-20 04:53:59 GMT)
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The text doesn\'t say man cannot pardon or expiate himself.

It only says the capacity of man to repent does not exceed his capacity to pardon or expiate himself.

We cannot read \"No more than he can pardon or expiate himself\" to mean \"man cannot pardon or expiate himself\". In fact, I would read it to mean that man has some capacity to pardon or expiate himself, and his capacity to repent is equal to this.

Also, all these capacities (to repent, to pardon and to expiate) are limited by what has been given into the soul (i.e., gifted by God to each individual).

Thus, the capacity to repent, pardon and expiate, would vary from individual to individual, which makes eminent practical sense too, from what we observe in the actual world.

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Note added at 1 hr 37 mins (2005-05-20 05:27:42 GMT)
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On a psychological level also, this text makes superb sense.

If a man\'s capacity to repent exceeded his capacity to pardon or expiate, then he would become a nervous wreck. He would develop an inferiority complex, because he cannot expiate for what he has done, he cannot improve himself. He would be condemned to repenting for what he has done all his life.

But if his capacity to expiate matches his capacity to repent, he can do amends for what he has done and lead a balanced life.

So this is a text with much deeper meaning.

I wonder where it is taken from.
Selected response from:

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 21:10
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4yes, to the extend it has been given to him by god
Balasubramaniam L.
4 +3No, because he cannot pardon or expiate himself.
Refugio
5I would say yes ( see explanation)
David Hollywood


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
No, because he cannot pardon or expiate himself.


Explanation:
According to the text, that is, and the English is odd or old-fashioned.

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Note added at 32 mins (2005-05-20 04:22:11 GMT)
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nowadays we would say \"by himself\" or \"on his own.\"

Refugio
Local time: 08:40
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Can Altinbay: It's old.
24 mins
  -> Thanks, Can
agree  Ana Juliá: Yes, Ruth. And, personally, I agree with the text (See John 16:8)
3 hrs
  -> Thank you, Ana
agree  wendyzee (X): The 'of himself' in more modern english would be 'by himself' or 'alone' . So according to the text, he cannot.
4 days
  -> Thanks, Wendy
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
I would say yes ( see explanation)


Explanation:
The key here is the admission of guilt in my view and that is personal .... whether we are forgiven or not is not something we can influence

Repentance is the feeling and act in which one recognizes and tries to right a wrong, or gain forgiveness from someone that they wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to repenting for a sin against God. It always includes an admission of guilt, and also includes at least one of: a solemn promise or resolve not to repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repent

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Note added at 34 mins (2005-05-20 04:24:40 GMT)
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at least we have the capacity to say we\'re sorry (and feel it) so repent is ok here

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Note added at 35 mins (2005-05-20 04:25:44 GMT)
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this is active not passive :)

David Hollywood
Local time: 12:40
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 7

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Refugio: That is your view (and mine too), but it is not what the source says. Frankly, I find it a surprising anti-free-will statement.
2 mins
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47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
yes, to the extend it has been given to him by god


Explanation:
The abilities of repentence, forgiveness and expiation are God's gift to man. If a man has been equipped by God with these gifts, then he can repent of himself.

The key words are in the last line ... "except as it is given to the soul".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 3 mins (2005-05-20 04:53:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The text doesn\'t say man cannot pardon or expiate himself.

It only says the capacity of man to repent does not exceed his capacity to pardon or expiate himself.

We cannot read \"No more than he can pardon or expiate himself\" to mean \"man cannot pardon or expiate himself\". In fact, I would read it to mean that man has some capacity to pardon or expiate himself, and his capacity to repent is equal to this.

Also, all these capacities (to repent, to pardon and to expiate) are limited by what has been given into the soul (i.e., gifted by God to each individual).

Thus, the capacity to repent, pardon and expiate, would vary from individual to individual, which makes eminent practical sense too, from what we observe in the actual world.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 37 mins (2005-05-20 05:27:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On a psychological level also, this text makes superb sense.

If a man\'s capacity to repent exceeded his capacity to pardon or expiate, then he would become a nervous wreck. He would develop an inferiority complex, because he cannot expiate for what he has done, he cannot improve himself. He would be condemned to repenting for what he has done all his life.

But if his capacity to expiate matches his capacity to repent, he can do amends for what he has done and lead a balanced life.

So this is a text with much deeper meaning.

I wonder where it is taken from.

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 21:10
Native speaker of: Native in HindiHindi
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gayle Wallimann
4 mins
  -> Thanks.
agree  jaswinder singh
38 mins
  -> Thanks jaswinder, sat sri akaal.
agree  Robert Donahue (X)
6 hrs
  -> Thanks Robert.
agree  Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
9 hrs
  -> Thanks Saleh.
disagree  Refugio: To say that man can repent "of himself", but only to the extent that God lets him, is an oxymoron.
9 hrs
  -> I am not saying anything. It is the text that is saying it. Thanks anyway for your comment.
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
1 day 12 hrs
  -> Thanks.
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