No, you don't "Have to" forgive

Besides things like higher powers, as I got more sobriety time and moved back to my previous "non-metaphysical stances," this AA idea, also perpetuated by some people outside of AA, that you "have to" forgive people became ever more grating.

Insulting, even.

If you, like I, am a survivor of some sort of personal trauma, you know exactly where I'm coming from.

Well, you don't "have to" forgive and you don't have to feel that you should, or that there's something wrong with you if you  don't.

Here's a great piece about that. Your mileage may vary.