IN EVERY ISSUE
Matthew 5:39 and Luke 6:31 : ON CYBERBULLYING AND SUICIDE
By Marian Swindell • Guest Columnist
Matthew 5:39 is the Scripture that instructs us “ to turn the other cheek .”
While turning the other cheek is often a nice , kind response to an attack , in the case of physical and cyber bullying , it is an ill-informed and irresponsible response . Here is why : Bullies love victims to turn the other cheek . Turning the other cheek gives the bully more chances to practice emotionally , mentally , physically , and psychologically beating up victims . Turning the other cheek give the bully a venue to sharpens their hate-filled skills . We need to do the complete opposite : immediately , efficiently , and expeditiously shut the bully down .
More importantly , we do not need to turn the other cheek because bullied children and teenagers are attempting and completing suicide at alarming rates . The statistics are alarming . Parents , read on :
• “ Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people , resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year , according to the CDC .
• For every suicide among young people , there are at least 100 suicide attempts .
• Over 14 % of high school students have considered suicide .
• Almost 7 % have attempted it .
• Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims .
• Half of all suicides among young people are related to bullying .
• 10- to 14-year-old girls may be at even higher risk for suicide than males
• Thirty percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying .
• 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying .”
Swindell
32 • MERIDIAN LIFE