Young people are increasingly using the internet today. The internet and mobile phones are two of the biggest communication systems that play a big role in shaping our daily lives. There are those that often use these technologies and target to bully other people via the internet and through their mobile phones. Cyberbullying can be defined as the use of cell phones, the internet, or other devices with an intent to hurt or embarrass another person. The general effect is that the bullied person would suffer humiliation, embarrassment, and harassment. Cyber-bullying affects the lives of many on a daily basis and Christians have to be at the forefront in preventing cyberbullying and helping victims that have been bullied. Cyberbullying is a social injustice and the application of Christian principles can be used to prevent it and help victims that have been cyberbullied.
Historical context/contemporary overview
Cyberbullying can be said to have come from traditional bullying. Bullying has been taking place for several centuries in the past but has come into the attention of many in the past few years. Traditional bullying involved a form of harassment that could be sexual, physical, mental, or social. The introduction of the internet led to the emergence of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying was thus not an issue in the 1990s. With the advancement of technology and the introduction of the internet, there emerged a new form of bullying that was known as cyberbullying (Holfeld and Grab, 2012). Cyberbullying caught the spotlight after several victims were driven to commit suicide. Recent news surrounding internet harassment shows that it is an extremely severe form of bullying that negatively affects the lives of its victims.
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Chapin (2018) carried out a survey of adolescents on Facebook users and their experience with cyberbullying. The study found that 84% of adolescents use Facebook and log in on a daily basis. 30% of the sample reported having been cyberbullied. 75% of the middle school Facebook users reported having experienced a form of cyberbullying. 18% of the studied population never reported the cyberbullying incident to their parent. 12.5% quit using the site after they considered that it had negative effects on their lives. The statistics show that the rate of cyberbullying is high among young adults. Most of these adults experience these incidences alone and find it difficult to solicit the help of adults.
A proper understanding of cyberbullying can be enhanced by comparing it with traditional bullying. Waasdorp and Bradshaw (2015) randomly analyzed a sample population and found that 23% of the victims experienced a form of bullying that included relational, verbal, physical, and cyberbullying. 4.6% of the entire studied population reported having been bullied. The study showed that cyberbullied youth experienced a more severe form of the negative effects of bullying. They thus had increased odds for showing the external and internal symptoms of bullying. The study demonstrated the impacts of cyberbullying are more severe and this is what leads many to depression and suicide.
Cherish character
Cyberbullying can be analyzed from a Christian perspective by first analyzing the nature of God. One of the primary attributes of God is that he is love. Jesus taught on loving others even those that do not appear convenient to love. In talking about spreading the message of hate, Jesus notes that “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). The main motives of those that engage in cyberbullying are hatred and to demean other people. Cyberbullying does not stem from love and would be opposing the nature of God. No one that commits a hate crime against another individual would have an inheritance of eternal life.
Cyberbullying stems from the fallen nature of sin in the fallen man. Such a nature strives to pass judgment to other people and demean them. The nature of cyberbullying is that it picks up a negative aspect of another human being and emphasizes it. Those that experience cyberbullying get ridiculed and judged by the online community. However, Jesus speaks against this basic human nature in the words “Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” (Luke 6:42). Jesus advocates against the human nature of picking out on others. Instead, he calls for people to examine themselves first and not to pass judgment on others.
Challenge culture
The bible does not talk directly against cyberbullying. Instead, the Bible has a central principle of love that can be applied to contemporary issues. The message of love transcends in the bible as a good and beautiful way to live in harmony. The Bible commands that we should love our neighbors as we do ourselves and that we should treat others the way we would want to be treated (Luke 6:31). The Christian faith does not provide a room for abusing or belittling or abusing others whether verbally, socially, physically, or through the internet. Instead, it upholds that everyone has been created in the image of God and that everyone is worthy of the dignity which God gives to every person. Christians should be ready to stand up against cyberbullying because it goes against the nature of love portrayed by God in the Bible.
Cyberbullying can be prevented through upholding self-control to stop aggressive behavior. Veiga (2018) notes that verbal aggressions communicated online without moral standings are one of the root causes of cyberbullying. The Bible calls for self-control against any forms of impulsive aggression. The verse “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7) points to the fact that God has given us the spirit of self-control to be applied in everyday living. It shows that self-control can be achieved by giving oneself to the spirit of Christ. By upholding self-control Christians should be able to honor God with both their actions and their words.
Serve the world
The first way that Christians can stand up against cyberbullying is by not engaging in it and speaking widely against it. Christians should not be involved in bullying others or condone the cyberbullying of others. In case people are at conflict, one should look and speak about bible verses that promote right living. The verse that states “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone” (Romans 12:17), can be used for people that would like to cyberbully others. The verse notes that people should be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone, including those that one wants to cyberbully.
Christians that have experienced any form of cyberbullying should not respond with hated but with kindness and love. Christians should know that the world is not a perfect place and that we are not the judge of the world. God is the one that can offer the right judgment and repay for the evil that others have done. Christians should remember their identity in Christ and understand that they have been created in the image and likeness of God. Campbell and Bauman (2018) note that one of the ways to reduce cyberbullying is not seeking revenge. Revenge creates a vicious circle that leads to disastrous negative effects for both parties. Instead, one should be willing to forgive or report the incident to a senior person and even the police.
Christians should be able to stand up and stick up for their friends and classmates that have undergone any form of cyberbullying. Kim (2017) notes that one of the traits of proper Christian leaders is to offer a valuable physical and emotional support for individuals that are going through a difficult time. Christians should have the courage to stand up for individuals that cannot defend or stand up for themselves. They should not encourage cyberbullying by cheering the act or joining the bullies. Many young adults can watch and do nothing about bullying because they are afraid. However, standing up against the behavior can do a lot to help the victim and solve the situation.
In conclusion, cyberbullying is wrong and Christians are called to act in love and kindness towards everyone. The best solution to cyberbullying is to simply act in love. In case the cyberbully chooses to act in love, they would not go over the internet and spread negative information about an individual. If the victim chooses to act in love, they should be able to forgive their bullies and not seek revenge. The friends and families of the cyberbullied victim can act in love by offering emotional help and support throughout the difficult times. Acting in love can stop cyberbullying and reduce the negative effects of cyberbullying on the victims.
References
Campbell, M., & Bauman, S. (Eds.). (2018). Reducing cyberbullying in schools: international evidence-based best practices . Academic Press.
Chapin, J. (2016). Adolescents and cyberbullying: The precaution adoption process model. Education and information technologies , 21 (4), 719-728.
Holfeld, B., & Grabe, M. (2012). An examination of the history, prevalence, characteristics, and reporting of cyberbullying in the United States. Cyberbullying in the global playground: Research from international perspectives , 117-142.
Kim, J. (2017). An Analysis of Church Leaders' Perceptions of Bullying: The Willingness and Capacity to Engage in an Anti-Bullying Initiative in a Rural Kentucky Community (Doctoral dissertation, Northern Kentucky University).
Waasdorp, T. E., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2015). The overlap between cyberbullying and traditional bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health , 56 (5), 483-488.
Veiga, A. M. V. D., Ferreira, P., Francisco, S. M., Paulino, P., & de Souza, S. B. (2018). Cyberbullying: Shaping the use of verbal aggression through normative moral beliefs and self-efficacy. New Media & Society , 20 (12), 4787-4806.
