Adverse consequences of bullying

Over the past several years, the adverse consequences
of bullying have been brought to light. Statistics
based primarily on survey data, which have typically
found that at any given time between 20 and 30 percent
of students are involved in bullying, either as
perpetrators, victims or both.

According to researchers this action is as harmful to
the perpetrator as to the victim. For the perpetrator
there can be devastating consequences such as school
discipline, arrest, legal problems, violent
retaliation, and the haunting memory of their actions.

One man noted:

   "I still remember the names and faces of
   kids I picked on, and I'm troubled today
   with their memory and the haunting questions
   of whatever happened to them."

Victims face a multiplicity of harmful effects:

physical
mental injuries,
anxiety,
depression,
headaches,
abdominal pain
fatigue.
Suicide
violence

These harmful actions affect both the perpetrator and
the victim throughout their lives.

The action of bullying is no stranger to the inspired
text. There are examples of how people suffered, and
how far bullying could go.

Consider:

the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4,
the story of the flood in Genesis 6-9,
the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19,
the story of Isaac and Ishmael in Genesis 21,
the story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25-28,
the story of Joseph and his brothers from 
    Genesis 45-50,
the story of Exodus 1-15,
the story of Gideon,
the story of the sons of Ba’al in 
    Judges 17-21,
and several of the stories of the kings in 
    Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, etc.;

In the New Testament, Paul condemns such things as
"...enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger,
disputes, dissensions, factions, envying" (Galatians
5:20-21), which are characteristic of bullying.

In essence, individuals, "who practice such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:21).

Bullying is not only destructive to individuals
physically and mentally, but also spiritually. Even
though such actions are promoted as acceptable in our
society one should really consider the outcome of
involving themselves in such.

Exhibiting Christian love would certainly be better and
truly pleasing to God than tormenting the innocent.

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