Kim, part of asking for forgiveness is realizing your wrong and feeling real guilt for the sin. You seem very intelligent on most things. People feel guilt if they are religious or not. I would hope they could feel forgiveness also be it divine or earthly. Being a Christian I was told to ask for forgiveness from the person I wronged also. I see no garbage in this line of thinking. Christianity is a path to be Christ like, not a moment that you turn perfect. I'll never be perfect and don't have false hopes of it. Sometimes the picture from the outside is not accurate.