Debts and Forgiveness

According to Margaret Atwood, “Debt — who owes what to whom, or to what, and how that debt gets paid — is a subject much larger than money. It has to do with our basic sense of fairness, a sense that is embedded in all of our exchanges with our fellow human beings.” (Atwood, Margaret, “A Matter of Life and Debt.“ NEW YORK TIMES, October 22, 2008)

Almost all Christians learn the Lord’s Prayer, also called the “Our Father,” when they are growing up. The words, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,” ask God for forgiveness. Those words also remind us penitents that we must forgive those who owe us. In essence, we are praying to be dealt with fairly, in turn promising to deal fairly with others.

We recognize debts which arise from borrowing, and those seem straight forward. When we sign a contract to borrow money, we obligate ourselves to repay the loan. There are other kinds of debts too, and these may be more difficult for us to identify or admit as obligations. The Catholic Encyclopedia on line says:

“The superfluous wealth of the rich is due to the poor; it is a debt to the payment of which, according to the expression of many Fathers and theologians, the poor have a right, not of justice but of charity.” (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04663b.htm, retrieved Nov. 28, 2008)

In all of our Abrahamic faiths we’re taught to look after the poor. For example, the third of the five pillars of Islam is called Zakat, the “alms tax,” a mandatory donation to charity. Zakat is one of the essential duties of all Muslims, and “is used to help the poor and sick, spread the faith, ransom captives, aid travelers, free slaves, help debtors and defend Islam. . . Although the details can get complicated, the basic rate is 2.5% of all liquid assets and income-producing property. Zakat isn’t levied on housing or on basic, necessary personal possessions.” (Clark, Malcolm, ISLAM FOR DUMMIES. New York. Wiley Publishing, 2003. P. 150)

“O you who believe! Give in charity of the good things you earn and of what we have brought forth for you out of the earth, and do not aim at giving in charity what is bad.” (Qur’an 2:267)

So what does it mean to deal fairly? Surely it’s easier to ask forgiveness than it is to forgive others’ debts. Throughout most of the history of Christianity, for example, debtors’ prisons in Europe held those who could not pay, and who would not be forgiven by their creditors. Debtors were imprisoned in this country too, at least until 1833. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtor's_prison, retrieved Nov. 28, 2008) It makes little sense to incarcerate those who can’t pay, for that just isolates them from income possibilities. It makes even less sense to those who would follow the dictates of their religion. And it’s unfair.

Next time you pray (to God or to Allah or to Yahweh) for forgiveness, remember that you must forgive others in turn. It’s only fair, and right. And remember to give to the poor from your wealth.