Are Victims Better Than Abusers?
There is a dangerous trap in popular
Christian thinking that subtly infers that only victims are qualified
to experience forgiveness and salvation. We like to amplify our
solidarity with victims, to show compassion to them, to assure them
of God's grace and healing and power to restore. But at the very same
time it is all too easy to fall into the trap of viewing victims as
somehow more righteous or innocent or worthy of our compassion than
we feel toward those we consider perpetrators or abusers. We indulge
readily in prejudice, animosity and even outright hatred at times
toward those we consider dangerous and ready to exploit other people.
We garner recognition by showing sympathy for the victims but we do
not share such magnanimity toward those who have abused them. Rather
we are quick to judge, to label, to ostracize and to seek punishment
for all who in our eyes are not as worthy of grace or in need of
healing.
Many know in their head that perpetrators are usually victims t…
Many know in their head that perpetrators are usually victims t…