The Need to Demonise

Ordinary people, including some I know, have poured extraordinary invective on an alleged Arsonist in the wake of the Victorian bushfires. Several Facebook Groups have started with titles like "B****** S****** needs to suffer. Burn the ####ing Dogg!" (sic) in which members describe in detail how they would like to burn this man's hands to a stump, or even burn his family.

Why do we have the need to demonise those accused of heinous crimes?

I think there are several reasons. Two reasons are:

1. We feel the need to distance ourselves from such obvious evil. The people who do such things are demoted in our minds to the rank of subhuman monster, in order to avoid any possibility that we might share the same fallen human nature. We need to be reassured that we are the good guys and people who do these things are on the dark side. Yet God's Word clearly indicts all of us as sinners in need of redemption and under the judgement of God.

2. We have a natural tendency to call down justice and retribution upon others, but mitigating circumstances or mercy upon ourselves. We operate with dual standards. When I lose my cool and throw a tanty, it's because I'm tired. Or some other reason. When someone else does it to me, they are entirely culpable. We ought to remember on top of everything else here, that we have seen no evidence yet for this man's guilt even. What if he is innocent? What if there were mitigating circumstances? We know nothing, and it is the job of the legal system to investigate, lay charges and prosecute. This is also of course, the view of the police.

Now I AM NOT SAYING that it doesn't matter if you light fires or that there should be no punishment for such actions. But there is a difference between judging actions as evil and judging ourselves so morally superior that we are able to demote others to the category of subhuman monster and call for their torture at our hands. There is a difference between society doing what God's Word says human authorities ought to do, namely restraining and punishing evil; and a lynch mob of self-righteous anarchists. What people who call for this man to be tortured are doing is every bit as morally reprehensible as what he is alleged to have done. Imagine what the world would be like if they had their way.

The words of Jesus are: "Judge not, lest you also be judged. For with the same measure you judge, so will it be measured out to you."