I agree with Ed that sympathy for the unrepentant is not required ("there but for the grace of God goes Sherlock Holmes" could be humility, and as written was humility, but could also be so easily steered into the Pharisee praying to himself that I generally avoid it). Pity in the sense of Frodo pitying Gollum is reasonable, if it moves …
I agree with Ed that sympathy for the unrepentant is not required ("there but for the grace of God goes Sherlock Holmes" could be humility, and as written was humility, but could also be so easily steered into the Pharisee praying to himself that I generally avoid it). Pity in the sense of Frodo pitying Gollum is reasonable, if it moves us to pray for "Smeagol" (long buried but not dead) to surface, and to pray for the creature who so long bore a terrible burden ultimately to be saved, willingly casting aside his greatest attachment. But I think someone will instead have to bite off his finger.
I agree with Ed that sympathy for the unrepentant is not required ("there but for the grace of God goes Sherlock Holmes" could be humility, and as written was humility, but could also be so easily steered into the Pharisee praying to himself that I generally avoid it). Pity in the sense of Frodo pitying Gollum is reasonable, if it moves us to pray for "Smeagol" (long buried but not dead) to surface, and to pray for the creature who so long bore a terrible burden ultimately to be saved, willingly casting aside his greatest attachment. But I think someone will instead have to bite off his finger.