Andrew takes a look at mob behaviour and bullying. Why do people engage in the behaviour? Have we learned nothing since the time of Jesus?

Nearly two thousand years after the event, the Australian motion picture actor and director, Mel Gibson attempted to recreate with graphic savagery, the trial and execution of Jesus Christ in his epic film, The Passion of the Christ (2003). Audiences sat stunned and horrified at the images of an innocent and good man being framed on fabricated charges, then brutally tortured and eventually executed as a common criminal. Believers and non-believers were freshly moved by an historical event that for many had been previously lost in the droll delivery of a Sunday School teacher or in the disinterested and well-worn Easter sermon of an aged parson. Here was the New Testament message enfleshed on celluloid film, avidly read in subtitles, while Aramaic confronted the listener's ears and various bloody scenes sprayed across their eyes.

For many who saw the film a question remained: What would happen to Christ if instead of being born in Palestine of the Ancient World, he had been born in a 21st Century western nation? Surely this horrific event could not be replicated in our time and in our context.

Researchers in the United States have now begun examining a new workplace phenomenon. In Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace (1999), they concluded that: "Mobbing is an emotional assault. It begins when an individual becomes the target of disrespectful and harmful behaviour. Through innuendo, rumours, and public discrediting, a hostile environment is created in which one individual gathers others to willingly, or unwillingly, participate in continuous malevolent actions to force a person out of the workplace. These actions escalate into abusive and terrorising behaviour. The victim feels increasingly helpless when the organization does not put a stop to the behaviour or may even plan or condone it." (Davenport, N., et. al, 1999, p. 38)

No longer are we in the West able to destroy others lives overtly on the basis of colour and creed, legislation prevents such actions. However, as the river which is dammed seeks yet another tributary by which to run its course, so it would seem primitive desires of bigotry have found more politically correct avenues by which to fulfil their purpose, than in First Century Palestine.

In the case of "mobbing", such great pressure is brought to bear on an individual, to the point that they break physically or mentally, and thus by their own volition, leave a workplace, without the victim being able to pin-point the actual forces or peoples who made their life a misery. Terms such as, 'personality clashes' and 'not fitting in', are applied euphemistically to what in essence is a policy of bullying.

"Mobbing" takes its drive from the unseen rationale of the conspirators. Professional jealousy, greed, a feeling of being threatened, a belief that an individual stands as an obstacle to their designs, such factors create the climate for those who deal in "mobbing" to initially select their victim and finally destroy them. We may no longer use the iron stakes of a Roman legionnaire to pin our prisoners to the ground; or the cat-o-nine tails of a Centurion to flog them; nor a cross to crucify our victims, yet we can at least have our victims fall on their swords; and then who is to blame? Then we can issue the epitaph: "Poor Charles, he just wasn't up to the pace, I do hope all goes well in the future; he does have a family you know!" As Sophie Toomey (The Weekend Australian – Career One, July 16-17, p. 1), wrote in her article, "Bullying alive and kicking": "If your image of bullying at work is a young rough and tumble guy and a bizarre initiation ritual, think again. A huge amount of workplace bullying takes place in plush inner city offices with tools of abuse including demoralising emails and outrageous unachievable deadlines".

Although two thousand years have passed since the contrived guilty verdict was effected on Christ, such films as The Passion of the Christ, point toward a too endemic part of the human character for us to convince ourselves as 'that' being 'then' and in 'that' context, and not 'now' in 'ours'. To this day, individuals remain jealous of those, whose only crime is that they do good and do it well; to this day lies and gossip said in secret and in whispers are fed from person to person in the hope of discrediting the innocent; to this day, those in power who have the authority to act justly and to right the wrongs, fail to act, and wash their hands, on the basis that it is better for one innocent man or woman to perish than for an entire staff or department to suffer.

Had Christ been born in our society in our time, He would most certainly have been "mobbed". His teachings would have confounded the Pharisees of our era, so that a means of silencing Him would have needed to be found; His popularity would have threatened other religious leaders, so a policy of discrediting Him would have had to have been implemented; cowardly Chief Executive Officers, would have been convinced of the expedience of his sacking or dismissal, rather than keep such a person in their employ. In short, we would have found ways by which to re-enact The Passion for our own time.

So if this is the reality for Christ, who is God, then what hope is there for people who are called to be His followers. The Gospel of St. Matthew provides the Christian with both a warning and consolation, when Christ instructs His listeners: "Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you". (Matthew 5: 11 - 12, The New Jerusalem Bible)

Every age with its martyrdom of innumerable Saints has seen the re-enactment of The Passion of the Christ. Our Eastern Father among the Saints, John Chrysostom, speaks to us from amidst his own "mobbing": "To commit a murder, besides the not having the person in your power, there are many measures and precautions to take. A favorable opportunity must be waited for, and a place must be selected before we can put so damnable a design into execution. More than this, the pistols may miss fire, blows may not be sufficient, and all wounds are not mortal. But to deprive a man of his reputation and honor, one word is sufficient. By finding out the most sensitive part of his honor, you may tarnish his reputation by telling it to all who know him, arid easily take away his character for honor and integrity. To do this, however, no time is required, for scarcely have you complacently cherished the wish to calumniate him, than the sin is effected".

Mother Theresa

Christ the keeper of all of the Commandments of Moses was executed by those who may have kept most of them, but in deed and word, not the Eighth: "You shall not give false witness against your neighbour". (Exodus 20: 16, The New Jerusalem Bible) Too often we forget or dismiss the importance of this Commandment, as it is far easier to attend to the Sabbath, or to be chaste, or not to steal, then to keep one's tongue, keep one's peace, and to be charitable to one's neighbour.

One of the greatest Christian figures of the 20th Century, Mother Theresa of Calcutta, herself no stranger to "mobbing" in her prayer the Final Analysis, gives us courage in the tribulations that we face in our various social contexts, when we become the victims of lies, deceit, scheming and innuendo: "People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you; be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others may destroy overnight; create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous; be happy anyway. The good you do today will often be forgotten; do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it may never be enough; give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway".

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©2007 Dr Andrew Thomas Kania

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