PLAYING THE VICTIM IS USED TO GAIN AN ADVANTAGE!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

VICTIM?

by Steve Fair

     A victim is described as a person who suffers because of some adverse act by another person.  Victims are duped, tricked, swindled or deceived by others. 

     In modern America, many believe they are victims based on the color of their skin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender or indebtedness.  They hold a pity party and cry about how everything and everyone in their life is predatory toward them. 

     The solution to modern victimhood seems to be to shout louder about your victimhood.  Moral authority in modern culture is directly proportional to how many ways a person can claim to have been to have been victimized.  The more victim categories people are in, the more empowered and authoritative they are.  Pick the right victim level and you can have a ‘free pass’ to do and say almost you want in modern America.  Three observations:

     First, there are real victims.  There are those in society who experience harm as victims of crime, abuse, natural disasters, and social injustice.  It is important a society acknowledge and address their needs.  Showing compassion and understanding to those who in need is a mark of a civilized Christian society.   Throughout the Bible, oppressing innocent victims is condemned by God.  People do suffer unjust evil at the hand of others.    

     Second, there are fake victims.   There are those who falsely portray themself as a victim to gain sympathy, attention, or to manipulate others for personal gain.  They falsely accuse others of wrongdoing and fabricate stories to promote themselves.  These self-entered, conceited narcissists never take personal responsibility for their actions.  The actions of "fake victims" undermine the credibility of genuine victims.  It makes it more difficult for true victims to receive support and justice. 

     Third, there are no victims.  Jesus, who was the ultimate innocent victim, did not adopt a victim mentality.  He recognized God is sovereign over all things.  Jesus (1) trusted the Father, (2) did not repay evil for evil, and (3) loved His enemies. Playing the victim can distort reality, damage relationships and suck the joy out of life.  Embracing a philosophy that everything happens for a reason is biblical.  John MacArthur says, “The default position of all fallen human beings is to blame someone else for our condition, blame someone else for our issues, and blame someone else for our troubles. We say to ourselves: I’m basically a good person but I’ve been affected by bad people.“ MacArthur says those who paint themselves as a  victim seek to avoid facing their own shortcomings.   

     Victimhood drives modern morality and politics.  Identity politics divides society into victims and oppressors.  Liberals and conservatives perceive different victims.   In the past, calling yourself a victim was synonymous with weakness.  Now it is used to gain an advantage over your opponent.  Playing the victim is cowardly.  Blaming events, circumstances in the past as a reason to misbehave in the present is spineless and shows weak character.

     Holocaust survivor and author Edith Eger, 97, says, “Suffering is universal, but victimhood is optional.”