Fyodor Dostoevsky's conceptualization of his philosophy on active love was profoundly shaped by the Gospel of John. It is in fact the Gospel of John that contains the majority of underlined quotes found in Dostoevsky's personal bible. In his works, love and forgiveness seem to grant a miraculous cure. The House of the Dead emphasizes the impact of relationships on awakening God's image in others. The characters in Humiliated and Insulted are able to forgive others once their love towards neighbors exceeds their own pride. In Crime and Punishment, Sonya's unselfish love guides Raskolnikov to identify the lies of his own ideals and cross over to a new life. In The Brothers Karamazov, Iljusa and Dmitrij are healed of the desire to seek revenge through active love towards others. According to Dostoevsky, there is no sin that God's love cannot wash away. It is essential, however, that the individual is aware of his sin and comes to hate it. Only then he is open to repentance. As asserted by Zosima, those who repent, already love.
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