User Name: Lds 1981
Some thoughts and the three-strike approach to help govern offenses:
- Strike One: If someone offends you, speak to the person alone in private. If they confess, then you are reconciled. If they do not confess, simply say you are willing to move on and that you hope they can do also without more offense. And then forgive the offense.
- Strike Two: If they offend you a second time, ask them to confess and to be reconciled. If they do not, then mention, "If it happens again, I do not want to go to (the next person, leader, boss, or higher authority). I would rather keep this private between us." And then forgive the second offense.
- Strike Three: If they offend you a third time, the offender has essentially given you permission by default to go privately and confidentially to the next person, leader, boss, or higher authority. Do not mention the offence to anyone else.
Exceptions:
- If someone offends many, they shall be chastened before many.
- If someone offends openly, they shall be rebuked openly, that they may be ashamed. And if they do not confess openly to the many, then they shall be delivered up unto the law or higher authority.
- If someone offends in secret, they shall be rebuked in secret, that they may have an opportunity to confess in secret to those with whom they have offended, so that the public may not speak reproachfully of them.