I heard a pastor recently on a Christian radio station call the times in which we live the age of rage. I believe that name is appropriate. We seem to be outraged about anything or anyone who doesn’t line up with our thoughts or beliefs. This life is full of frustration and stress. It is so easy to take that frustration out on others even when they are not the source of our problems. The source of our rage might vary, but it doesn’t come from God.
It seems like every other day there is a road rage incident where someone gets hurt or killed. Often, we hear of family disputes turning into domestic violence. That kind of rage builds up within individuals. What is the source of violent actions like that? Is it the glorification of violence in video games and movies? Is it a lack of discipline and respect for authority in childhood? Is it an increasing devaluation of human life brought about by the abortion of viable unborn infants, or euthanasia of the elderly or disabled who are not productive members of society? Could it simply be the result of a secular society moving farther and farther away from God?
A few days ago a white supremacy group planned a demonstration in front of the White House. They could only draw about 120 people to such a vile, racist demonstration. What a blessing it is that in a nation of well over 300 million people, such a tiny group of them proclaim that ridiculous view. That insignificant event should have attracted no attention at all. But then a much larger group of protesters showed up to cause trouble and disrupt things with violent personal intimidation and property damage. Ironically, that group who call themselves Antifa (anti-fascist) uses the exact same tactics of the fascists they claim to oppose. If it is true that actions speak louder than words, that group certainly does not live up to its name. There is never a good reason for violent personal intimidation and property damage. That is a lesson we should have learned long ago from the brown shirted mobs of Nazi Germany. Mob rage is always manufactured by the organizers using lies and false stereotypes to build blind hatred. Once a group is isolated and dehumanized, it is easy to build the kind of blind rage and hate that is capable of anything, even the unimaginable horror of the holocaust. Every stereotype is false. We are each created uniquely by God, so no group of people is alike even if members share one or two characteristics. Once the mob accepts that first lie of stereotyping, introducing other lies to increase the level of rage is relatively easy.
Mob rage isn’t new. The chief priests and religious leaders in Jerusalem two thousand years ago spread lies that had the crowd yelling, “Crucify him!” Then they stirred up a crowd to stone Stephen to death for proclaiming that Jesus was raised from the dead and alive. I think in a way every angry, out of control mob is rebelling against God.
Paul wrote, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slanders, as well as all types of evil behavior.” (Ephesians 4:31) and “But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander and dirty language.” (Colossians 3:8) Since I became a Christian, I have not had to struggle with personal rage or hatred. God’s word and His Holy Spirit inside me have kept me from becoming a victim of individual rage and helped me identify the lies told by those trying to instigate mob rage. Thankfully, as children of God, we each have access to that escape from the rage around us.