Bullying...why?

It has always been my opinion that people mostly get bullied because they allow it. Most bullies don't get challenged and that's why they continue this.

When I was a kid, there was Eddie Williams. He was the school bully. One day he cornered me on my way home and I had nowhere to run. Instead, I stood my ground and gave him an extra helping of what he was giving others. At the time, I had not realized I was bigger than Eddie. Needless to say, that was the last time he bullied me.
 
Fallen nature. We all are wicked. It is what comes out of the heart that defiles man - not what goes in. Shouldn't be surprised. People think suddenly Christians are perfect - we still sin. Only differences is we know we need a Savior to save us, the Holy Spirit to reveal and convict - transformative change by God.

Christians are saved not exempt from sinning. Placing that not from Christians - being saved doesn't make you incorruptible or any better than a sinner. It makes you saved by His grace we don't deserve.
 
rtm3039 said:
It has always been my opinion that people mostly get bullied because they allow it. Most bullies don't get challenged and that's why they continue this.

When I was a kid, there was Eddie Williams. He was the school bully. One day he cornered me on my way home and I had nowhere to run. Instead, I stood my ground and gave him an extra helping of what he was giving others. At the time, I had not realized I was bigger than Eddie. Needless to say, that was the last time he bullied me.
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so you turned into a bully...ok.
 
TransformedinChrist said:
Fallen nature. We all are wicked. It is what comes out of the heart that defiles man - not what goes in. Shouldn't be surprised. People think suddenly Christians are perfect - we still sin. Only differences is we know we need a Savior to save us, the Holy Spirit to reveal and convict - transformative change by God.

Christians are saved not exempt from sinning. Placing that not from Christians - being saved doesn't make you incorruptible or any better than a sinner. It makes you saved by His grace we don't deserve.
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Do you not plead the blood of the lamb? Just wondering. What stops you from sinning though...that Jesus had to die for you.
 
Lanolin said:
Do you not plead the blood of the lamb? Just wondering. What stops you from sinning though...that Jesus had to die for you.
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Yeah and we aren't sinless. Do You think that you stop sinning? Even Paul said he struggled with sin.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:15-20

Even the disciples fell asleep - the spirit is willing the flesh is weak.

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. Matthew 26:40-43

We are sinful and contiune to BE sinful [we are constantly being changed and transformed]. Sanctification is a process. It's the fallen nature within us since Adam fell.

We confess our sins to God - although we are saved thru Christ. It is a constantly battle of flesh and spirit.
 
Lanolin said:
so you turned into a bully...ok.
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Hmmm… I saw something quite different in RTM’s story.

I interpreted this as he stood up to his bully, confronted him, and this discouraged his tormentor from any further bullying.

Maybe not a tactic universally applicable, but seemed to work in this case.

I didn’t see anything that indicated RTM became a bully, rather that he stopped being a victim.
 
blueskies said:
Hmmm… I saw something quite different in RTM’s story.

I interpreted this as he stood up to his bully, confronted him, and this discouraged his tormentor from any further bullying.

Maybe not a tactic universally applicable, but seemed to work in this case.

I didn’t see anything that indicated RTM became a bully, rather that he stopped being a victim.
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Yes, that is he very issue I have with this issue.

The term "bully" has become a catch-all term and way too often misapplied. The dictionary defines a bully as "a person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable."
 
Jesus didn’t preach acceptance of bullying. He sent out His men with swords.

We once lived back to back with a bully family and my son was picked on until one day his father told him to fight him because nothing else worked. Well, the bully never picked on him again.

Sometimes we must draw a sword.
 
Via dolarossa said:
Jesus didn’t preach acceptance of bullying. He sent out His men with swords.

We once lived back to back with a bully family and my son was picked on until one day his father told him to fight him because nothing else worked. Well, the bully never picked on him again.

Sometimes we must draw a sword.
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Just wondering, do we ever see the disciples using those 'physical' swords?
 
crossnote said:
Just wondering, do we ever see the disciples using those 'physical' swords?
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Only Peter. But Jesus did tell them to go and buy one (Luke 22:35-38). When Jesus said "He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword." I believe He was talking about violence, those who live by violence die by violence. A gangbanger's biggest threat is another gangbanger. We see the same thing with the mafia. We are to be set apart from the world and love others as Jesus loved us. He never harmed anyone.
 
Dave F. said:
Only Peter. But Jesus did tell them to go and buy one (Luke 22:35-38). When Jesus said "He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword." I believe He was talking about violence, those who live by violence die by violence. A gangbanger's biggest threat is another gangbanger. We see the same thing with the mafia. We are to be set apart from the world and love others as Jesus loved us. He never harmed anyone.
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In my former line of work, I got in many physical confrontations. I will admit that I do not recall ever having hate in my heart and I saw this as just part of my job. As I see it, just as capital punishment and self-defense are not murder, adjusting someone's misguided attitude is not violence.
 
rtm3039 said:
In my former line of work, I got in many physical confrontations. I will admit that I do not recall ever having hate in my heart and I saw this as just part of my job. As I see it, just as capital punishment and self-defense are not murder, adjusting someone's misguided attitude is not violence.
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I agree completely. I don't believe defending yourself or dealing with unruly, aggressive people with needed force is wrong, but I can't find any time after the night of Jesus' arrest that any of the apostles ever acted in violence toward anyone. Jesus said we should love one another as he loved us, and as much is in us to live peacefully with everyone.
 
Dave F. said:
I agree completely. I don't believe defending yourself or dealing with unruly, aggressive people with needed force is wrong, but I can't find any time after the night of Jesus' arrest that any of the apostles ever acted in violence toward anyone. Jesus said we should love one another as he loved us, and as much is in us to live peacefully with everyone.
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I agree; however, no one attacked them for who they were, but for who they believed in. I think that beating David F because I can and beating him up because he is a Christian is different.
 
rtm3039 said:
. As I see it, just as capital punishment and self-defense are not murder, adjusting someone's misguided attitude is not violence.
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Capital punishment is ordained by God but I don't believe realigning someone's misguided attitude through physical means is ordained of God.

Romans 13:4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

Genesis 9:6
"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
 
crossnote said:
Capital punishment is ordained by God but I don't believe realigning someone's misguided attitude through physical means is ordained of God.

Romans 13:4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

Genesis 9:6
"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
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Ok, I need to ponder this one for a while.

Thanks

Ray
 
crossnote said:
Capital punishment is ordained by God but I don't believe realigning someone's misguided attitude through physical means is ordained of God.

Romans 13:4
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

Genesis 9:6
"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
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Ok, thought about it enough.

I agree, unless the bullying is physical. In that case, it is self-defense.

www.gotquestions.org

How should a Christian respond to bullying? | GotQuestions.org

How should a Christian respond to being bullied? What does the Bible say about bullying? Is it wrong to fight back against a bully?
www.gotquestions.org
 
rtm3039 said:
Ok, thought about it enough.

I agree, unless the bullying is physical. In that case, it is self-defense.

www.gotquestions.org

How should a Christian respond to bullying? | GotQuestions.org

How should a Christian respond to being bullied? What does the Bible say about bullying? Is it wrong to fight back against a bully?
www.gotquestions.org
Click to expand...
Romans 12:17
Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people.

So I guess evil can't come in physical form? iow 'bullying' isn't evil?
 
crossnote said:
Romans 12:17
Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people.

So I guess evil can't come in physical form? iow 'bullying' isn't evil?
Click to expand...
You know, I really can't find a good argument to this.

When I told my story about me and Eddie Williams, we were kids in elementary school. The rest of the story is that after my dad made me fight them, Eddie and I decided we would fight each other one day after school. By that time, almost everyone had heard that we were going to fight. We met at the back of the school and went at it. The fight did not last long, and we ended up in the principal's office. We both got a good paddling by Mr. While (the principal). I still remember seeing Eddie getting on his bike and leaving the school. He was crying. I did not cry, mostly because I had way better padding and it actually did not hurt. Since Eddie was basically the school bully, his crying did not help him keep that status. Since I was not a bully, my life went back to normal. Oddly enough, this episode made Eddie and I friends. I remember visiting his home, where he lived with his mother. She was a drunk and would always be passed out in her bed. After 6th grade, we never saw each other again, but did hear he went to jail for armed robbery.

Now, as an adult, I've never been bullied. However, as an adult, there are better ways of handling issues like that. As an adult, I was just not in an environment where this type of physical confrontation happened.
 
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