Restitution

Peace flourishes where there is Justice. While justice may not appear the same to people on opposing sides of a conflict, steps should be taken to right wrongs, pay back debts, and restore trust when it has been violated.

Usually, it is not enough to repent for having wronged one’s neighbor; repentance should be accompanied by restitution. Restitution is most effective when it is given freely by the guilty party to his victims, not exacted from him as the price of defeat.

Compare the war reparations that Germany was forced to pay to France and England at the end of World War I by the Treaty of Versailles with the restitution Germany paid after World War II to Jews and other victims of the Nazis.

In the former instance, where the reparations were forced upon Germany, it created massive German resentment and fueled calls for revenge that led directly to the rise of Hitler.

In the second instance, where Germany felt sincere repentance for its Nazi crimes, the restitution has served to foster goodwill between Germany and its former enemies.

Thus it is a principle of peacemaking that we should offer restitution willingly to those we have harmed, accompanied by genuine repentance for the wrongs we committed.

There are also the sins we commit without knowing, or debts we inherit from the past, or wrongs for which we are collectively responsible; we can also make restitution for these.

Father Moon has developed this concept into a teaching called ‘restoration through indemnity.’ He teaches that ‘indemnity’ is not a fixed amount, like an insurance claim, but rather a matter of giving whatever is required to assuage the other party’s aggrieved heart.

It can be small if the other party has a mind to forgive; or it can be great if the relationship has been strained by years of treachery and mistrust. The phrase, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” can be taken in its original biblical meaning as a legal formula for making restitution, and it is so understood in Judaism.

People know innately that they should pay back the full amount of their debt. The phrase is often cited wrongly, however, as a justification for revenge. That is a completely different matter. Revenge by the aggrieved party is a kind of rough justice, but it is not conducive to peace. It only furthers the cycle of violence. The scriptures teach that it is better to forgive.

O dweller in the body, make reparation for whatever you have done!
Garuda Purana 2.35 (Hinduism)

The Day of Atonement atones for sins against God, not for sins against man, unless the injured person has been appeased. Mishnah, Yoma 8.9 (Judaism)

Sama’a asked Imam ‘Ali about whether there is a way to repentance for one who commits premeditated murder. He said, “No, not unless he pays the blood money to the murdered man’s relatives, frees a slave, fasts for two consecutive months, asks God’s forgiveness, and offers voluntary prayers. If he does this then I would hope that his repentance would be accepted.” Sama’a asked, “And if he has no money?” He said, “Then he should ask the Muslims for money so that he can pay the restitution to the blood relatives.” Hadith (Shiite Islam)

If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.12 Exodus 21.23-25

And We prescribed for them: “A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds retaliation.” But whoever foregoes it in the way of charity, it shall be expiation for him. Qur’an 5.45

In reconciling a great injury, Some injury is sure to remain. How can this be good? Therefore the sage holds the left-hand tally [obligation] of a contract; He does not blame others. The person of virtue attends to the obligation; The person without virtue attends to the exactions. Tao Te Ching 79 (Taoism)

Whoever, by a good deed, covers the evil done, such a one illumines this world like the moon freed from clouds. Dhammapada 173 (Buddhism)

If one has, indeed, done deeds of wickedness, but afterwards alters his way and repents, resolved not to do anything wicked, but to practice reverently all that is good, he is sure in the long run to obtain good fortune—this is called changing calamity into blessing. Treatise on Response and Retribution 5 (Taoism)

Again, though I say to the wicked, “You shall surely die,” yet if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right, he shall surely live. Ezekiel 33.14-16

There was a rich man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich… And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Luke 19.2, 8-9

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
It is God’s formula that the providence of restoration requires paying restitution, or indemnity. Indemnity cleanses the past and opens up a new opportunity for development. Why do we need to make restitution?

It is necessary to clear up past sins and at the same time to separate from Satan, who accuses people day and night based on past sins. This formula applies not only to ourselves as individuals but also includes the wholes of which we are a part.

Each of us is not only an individual living in the present moment but also a descendant who has inherited the fruits of history. Each of us stands before divine Providence not just as an individual but as a representative of the entire world. (99:164-65, September 18, 1978)

Restoration of indemnity means to restore what was lost to its original status. If you lose your health and become ill, it means to recover from illness to health.

That is why the Old Testament teaches restitution according to the formula, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” (252:128, November 14, 1993)

In a courtroom, a criminal who shows true repentance and willingness to make restitution for his crime wins mercy from the judge and prosecutor… No matter what kind of wrong he committed, if he makes a conscientious effort to extricate himself and give restitution he can win forgiveness. But if that person is hardheaded and claims he did no wrong, he has no way to be forgiven. (104:279, June 1, 1979)

Among friends, if you say something or do something accidentally that offends your friend, it can damage the friendship. This also applies to a married couple, where even a small slight may become a reason for divorce.

If you find yourself in that situation, clarify what the error was, discuss the problem with your spouse, and whoever was in the wrong should make amends. You cannot just ignore the matter and bury it, or it will remain a sticking point between you forever.

Likewise, after a war between nations there should be some judgment as to which nation was in the wrong. The nation in the wrong should willingly compensate the nations that it aggressed against in order to resolve their lingering hostility. (89:116-17, November 1, 1976)

In the Bible, a king forgave the debts of his servant, but then the servant went and demanded payment from those who owed him money. On seeing this, the king demanded that the servant repay him the debt that he had forgiven, with interest.

This is cause and effect. The Bible also teaches that giving even a glass of water to the least person will not be for nothing. These are lessons about how we should repay our debts. (85:35, March 2, 1976)

If you owe something to someone, you have to become his servant; otherwise, you will perish. You can establish your position only when others cannot accuse it, however much they may want to do so. (Way of God’s Will 3.4)

The vengeful legalism that says “a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, and a stripe for a stripe” cannot stem from the character of the Creator God. God is the God of love and forgiveness.13 (124:202, February 15, 1983)

God supports me because I loved even those who opposed me. I did not seek revenge against my enemies. I did not requite an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. I took all the blows and tried to digest them with love. (168:204, September 20, 1987)