When a group of people comes together with a common emotional/angry catalyst, it only takes a spark to get this flame burning where the fury is turned into violence.
History records event after event where this principle is true. As recent as 2011, a lot of research has focused on the mindset of a violent mob.
Just some of the findings include:
- Being a member of the MOB lower’s the participant’s inhibitions, making them do things they would never do otherwise.
- A member loses their individual values/principles replacing them with the MOB’s principles, which are usually to cause mayhem or destruction while avoiding detection.
- What seems just and righteous causes to the MOB, based in what they perceive as inequality or unfairness, synergizes and empowers the group as a whole.
- Being a member may be exciting and powerful, as well as making the individual mobster feel invisible, so they shouldn’t be detected or responsible for their actions.
- As the riot moves forward it may be harder and harder for members to remember why they assembled in the first place.
- When the riot turns violent, most of the victims actually did nothing to deserve their fate other than being in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
Just because we live in dangerous days, we should not think this is the first time events like the ones we see daily now have occurred. Let me show you what I mean. Things can turn ugly, and get a lot worse, if we don’t change the course soon.
Just consider the New Testament stories, from almost two thousand years ago…
So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.
Who is “they” and “Him?” They is the Sanhedrin (a mob of 71 Pharisees) and Him is Jesus Christ.
In John 12, Jesus goes to Bethany to stay with His friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (their once dead brother Jesus had called back to life from the tomb). The next day a large crowd formed along the side of the road as Jesus made His way into Jerusalem 5 days before Passover.
This crowd was shouting praises and blessings for this wonderful teacher/healer as He entered the city of Jerusalem. But watch closely at what happens as the crowds turn ugly under the influence of the mob of Pharisees who planned to kill Him.
One of Jesus’s own followers, Judas Iscariot, sold his Master to the authorities for thirty pieces of silver. [John 18]
Over the following 20+ hours, Jesus would face Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod, the current king of the Jews. Pilate tried to do the right thing by having Jesus flogged, and humiliated. In the end Pilate tried to release Jesus in a clever ploy to make the crowd (translation: MOB) choose between a known murderer and Jesus to be released to celebrate the feast of Passover.
The same crowd waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” are the same people crowded around the front of the stage yelling “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” When Pilate washes his hands of the whole thing, the MOB replies, “His blood shall be on us and our children!” [Matthew 27]
Could this kind of MOB mentality continue? All 11 apostles (after Judas hung himself) died a martyrs death at the hands of an angry mob of people. Some were crucified like Jesus, other hung upside down, others from spears or arrows, sawn in two, or beaten to death.
The same angry mob of Pharisees that were responsible for the death of Jesus, railroaded Stephen out of the city and stoned him to death.
I suggest that what was seen in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, has not only increased in activity, but is reaching epic proportions.
What are we to do to deflate the MOB mentality in our country today? Is this even possible when the people who are really inciting the riots are not part of the physical MOB itself, but simply fueling the activity from afar?
Well, yes, there is a way to change our course, and it has nothing to do with fighting fire with fire, or taking revenge on these poor deluded souls who cannot think for themselves.
I believe with all my heart, the words of God are true. I believe they apply across all of human history, and into our future, however long that might be. So, one particular scripture comes to mind.
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Do you see it?
- will humble ourselves
- seek God’s face (and His will)
- turn away from wickedness
- hear our prayers
- forgive our sin
- and heal our land
It seems too simple, that’s why most people today ignore this solution.
If you don’t want the MOB to gain more power… you will do what is required in this verse.
And you can be proactive by going to the voting station and cast your ballot for sanity to return to our Nation.