Has feeling "forgiven" given some too much freedom to hurt others?

No. It depends on whether they give in to temptation or not. Our hearts are bent towards evil. That's why we need God, we need Jesus, and we need to read the Bible regularly.

I do not think so, there are as many good ones as bad. I just think they let temptation over come them. Sin can come in very easy once you begin to think about it. The key is not to allow the thought, once it begins it is hard to get rid of. If you continue to dwell on it, it can and will take you over. What a man thinks so is he.

No. It's not from feeling forgiven. I don't know what it's from, but I suspect that at least some of these have never been forgiven... and by that I mean they have never been to the cross, they've never accepted or known the power of Jesus Christ in their lives. When one is forgiven, one's life is changed. It may take time, but the love of Jesus toward all mankind makes itself known. How can you love someone and deliberately hurt them to this extent? That's why the first commandment is to love God and the next is to love your brother. On those two commandments, as Jesus said, hangs everything. So... no, it has nothing to do with being forgiven.

Hi valentinesdiner, I think it is a problem that they have, a temptation that they cannot resist. The human mind is strange and people can convince themselves that what they're doing isn't really wrong. Clergy who abuse boys in all churches probably convince themselves that they really aren't hurting them and those who steal money very likely start by thinking of it as a loan that they have every intention of paying back, but than it reaches a point where it is far too much to pay back. We should remember that priests and pastors are human like the rest of us and not above such things. Blessings.

valentinesdiner there is no excuse for priests being pedophile or preachers stealing from their flocks, thats wrong doing and they are not doing it because they were forgiven but because they are giving in to the evil side of their natures, they in other words do not seem to have a conscience or not right from wrong any more. I do not think God is quite that forgiving.

i think no this is not only the reason. i think there are people and if they feel freedom they dont look for to get forgiven. but those people who really feel sorry. just look to get forgiven. i think it depends on the behaviour of the person. not the reason if you forgive someone.