"Two in five Americans have fought with a family member about politics, according to a 2024 study by the American Psychiatric Association. One in five have become estranged over controversial issues, and the same percentage has "blocked a family member on social media or skipped a family event" due to disagreements. Difficulty working through conflict with those close to us can cause irreparable harm to families and relationships."
"The reality is that reconciling a relationship is not just difficult, but sometimes inadvisable or dangerous, especially in cases involving harm or trauma. I often remind people that forgiveness does not have to mean a reconciliation. At its core, forgiveness is internal: a way of laying down ill will and our emotional burden, so we can heal. It should be seen as a separate process from reconciliation, and deciding whether to renegotiate a relationship."
Large numbers of Americans experience political and ideological conflict within families, with many becoming estranged or avoiding relatives on social media. Difficulty resolving close-relationship conflicts can cause lasting family harm and negatively affect physical and emotional well-being and longevity. Pressure to forgive can create a moral mandate around reconciliation, but reconciliation is not always appropriate and can be dangerous in cases of harm or trauma. Forgiveness functions internally as laying down ill will and emotional burden to support healing, and it should be treated as separate from decisions about whether to renegotiate or restore relationships. A 2025 study examined emotions around forgiveness versus experiences of karma or revenge.
Read at The Conversation
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