AITA for telling my father he will die without my forgiveness and the world would be a better place without him?

Imagine a young heart, barely a teen, trembling with hope as they dial a stranger’s number—their father—only to be met with a storm of shouts, blaming them for a life upended. This Reddit user’s tale begins in a whirlwind of betrayal: a father who lied to their 21-year-old mother, claiming widower status, only to vanish when pregnancy news hit, hiding behind an existing marriage. A childhood of meager support and silence from a wealthy dad left scars, deepened by hostile half-sisters and a crushing phone call.

Fast forward to age 18: a sudden birthday text from a hospital bed sparks cautious hope, only for silence to return once he’s well. Fury ignites—a fiery text declares he’ll die unforgiven, the world better off without him. Now, a mystery relative begs mercy. Readers, can you feel the sting of rejection, the weight of this choice? Let’s unravel this raw, tangled drama.

‘AITA for telling my father he will die without my forgiveness and the world would be a better place without him?’

Family ties can twist into knots when abandonment and guilt collide, and this Reddit user’s saga is a gut-punch. Caught between a father’s cold rejection—lying to their mother, dodging duty, and yelling at a 13-year-old—and a fleeting, self-serving reach-out during illness, the user’s anger feels raw but real. The father’s silence post-recovery screams opportunism, while half-sisters’ hostility and a relative’s plea for forgiveness muddle the mess.

This echoes a wider issue: estrangement affects over 25% of adults, per a 2021 YouGov poll (source: yougov.com), often fueled by unmet expectations and poor communication. Dr. Joshua Coleman, a psychologist specializing in family estrangement, notes in a 2023 article, “Reconciliation requires genuine accountability—acknowledging harm, making amends—not just a plea for absolution to ease guilt” (source: psychologytoday.com). Here, the father’s hospital texts hint at panic, not penance, leaving the user’s hurt unaddressed.

What’s the path? Experts suggest boundaries: the user’s block was self-protection, not spite. Dr. Coleman’s wisdom implies forgiveness is optional—focus on healing, perhaps via therapy or support groups (see: familyestrangementsupport.com).

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

Here are some hot takes from the Reddit crew—candid, fiery, and ready to rumble! The community rallied behind our wounded user, dishing out unfiltered takes on this father’s fiasco:

These are popular opinions on Reddit, but do they hold water? Is this dad a lost cause, or does a flicker of redemption linger?

And there we have it—a heart-wrenching clash of abandonment, anger, and a plea for peace that fell flat. Our Reddit user stood firm, denying a father forgiveness after years of silence, lies, and a half-hearted hospital reach-out. Experts nod to self-care over forced absolution, while Reddit cheers the stand. Family drama’s a messy beast—rejection stings, and guilt trips from relatives don’t help. What would you do if you faced this absent father’s plea? Share your thoughts, feelings, or own tales below—let’s untangle this emotional knot together!