C.I.A.: Bullying

by Miss Amanda

I am sure we have all heard or seen the commercials for Crime Stoppers. They tell you some information about a local crime and then give you their number to call anonymously if you have any tips.

Crime Stoppers began in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in July 1976, when a fatal shooting of a university co-ed who was working at a local gas station. Two weeks later when the police still had no information and out of desperation, Detective Greg MacAleese went to the local tv station and requested a reconstruction of the crime. This reenactment offered $1,000 to anyone who had information that would lead to the arrest of the killers. 72 hours later, a person called in and identified a car that was leaving the scene at a high speed and the caller noticed his registration. The caller didn't want to be involved in the investigation, so he hadn't called in earlier. Detective MacAleese realized that the main reason that the public didn't call into help investigations was fear and apathy. He then came up with a system where the public could anonymously provide details for investigations known as Crime Stoppers.

Crime Stoppers is set up to help the public in three areas:

1. By stimulating community involvement and participation
2. By taking advantage of every possible media opportunity, especially electronic media, to publicize unsolved crimes.
3. Offering cash rewards for information leading to an arrest and/or conviction.

The authorities, especially police, cannot solve crimes by on their own. Although there are many wonderful techniques, programs, and machines to solve crimes, the best way to help solve a crime is by the public coming forward. There are few crimes where no one is around to notice something so most likely when a crime happens one person sees something that could be helpful!

Remember that even if you don't want to get involved in a crime investigation, but know something, you need to report it! It could be the missing link to solving the case.

Many times crimes happen because of small things that have happened and people bullying others. I have seen people hurt others because they were making too much noise in the movies theater, or bought something that someone else was going to buy. Things that are not worth getting killed or hurt for. The people who do that sort of thing are bullies. They are just mean people who are getting their way, but think it is owed to them! Webster defined a bully:

BULL'Y, n. A noisy, blustering overbearing fellow, more distinguished for insolence and empty menaces, than for courage, and disposed to provoke quarrels.

A bully is just a person who has to hurt others in order to make himself feel better because the bully has no confidence or self esteem in himself. Bullies are just people who don't have or want peace in their lives! They are an unpeaceful people.
Bullies are not a new thing in our world. They have been around for centuries. The Egyptians who enslaved the Israelites were bullies. They were afraid of the Israelites. Many times fear makes a bully.

Exodus 1:9-14
And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

Pharaoh was afraid of the Israelites, and he thought that by bullying them they would be afraid of him. Satan often uses fear as his main attack. Fear is a powerful thing, and it is very important to not be fearful.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Anyone who oppresses you is a bully, and it is wrong. Anyone who pushes you to do what they want, whether physically, emotionally or mentally is a bully. Bullies are so manipulative, because they use their strength to get others to do what they want. They give the bullied no choice but to do what they want.

I have never been physically bullied, but our family has been virtually bullied on the internet. Like IRL bullies, virtual bullies try to make you do what they want, by gossiping about you, turning friends against you, and by hacking your websites and stalking them. They try to make you do their will, because you can't do anything to them.

It might seem like you don' t need to tell anyone when this is done to you, but you do need to tell a parent or adult who cares about you whether you are being bullied, virtually or physically. The thing is that whether it is IRL or online, that is bullying, and it is wrong.

But, even Jesus was bullied, so we can take the comfort that we can suffer through the same thing as Christ did even though it is hard to be bullied. I believe that bullying in a way is persecution and Jesus said:

John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

If Jesus was bullied and persecuted, you will be too! We are so blessed to have Jesus come to earth to endure these things for us and to tell us what we can do when they happen to us! Jesus also told us what to do to do those bully us:

Luke 6:27-31

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Matthew 5:38-42
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

We are to love the bullies, and do good to them, bless them, and pray for them! If they hit you, turn your cheek, if they take your jacket, give them your shirt too, if they tell you to carry something for them a mile, go two! So love those who bully, do good to them when they are horrible to you, bless them when they curse you and most importantly pray for them. Show Jesus to your bullies by doing those things because Jesus is the only one who can change them and pray works!

Those who bully are spiteful and hateful! Love and kindness do not treat others like that. Jesus is love and kindness and if you don't have Him in your life, you can't love and show kindness to people and all you can do is be spiteful and hateful!

So remember to love those that bully you and by doing that you are showing Jesus to them! THAT is the mission of a Christian! To show the love of Christ to those who know Him not!

Miss Amanda, GGM Columnist, Assistant Editor, Print Magazine Editor and News Correspondent, is an 19yo homeschool college student, and oldest of 8 children. She is chief errand runner, grocery menu maker and shopper, laundry queen, and organizational gal. She enjoys secretary work, site designing, movies, and blogging. She will remain home until the Lord brings her Man of Steel. Find out more at The Daily Planet.