By Dr. Dencio Acop
The scapegoating mechanism, as explained by Bishop Robert Barron, is the tendency by those with power to divert attention away from themselves to their perceived enemies and those who criticize their misdeeds or shortcomings. It is actually commonplace through history beginning from the time of Jesus when the Pharisees astutely devised that it was better to sacrifice one man (Jesus) than have to contend with an entire mob or worse an entire nation. Psychologically, they also thought that such would bring fear to their enemies. The governing Jews by then had learned so much from their Roman conquerors on how to strike fear in the hearts of their enemies and occupied lands through the most brutal of punishment and execution: crucifixion. Why would those in power do it? Because power is intoxicating. Those who taste it do not want to leave it and are willing to do anything to keep it. This selfishness soon leads to abuses which are of course opposed by those governed. When criticisms or a desire to replace abusive leaders come, the critics are either eliminated or branded as enemies of the state — as scapegoats. Attention is diverted away from the abusive authorities to these ‘scapegoats’. Herod tried to do the elimination part with the baby Jesus. The Caiaphas-led Pharisees and Sadducees through the Sanhedrin did the scapegoating part in partnership with Pilate. Only the devil could bring about such a cunning and deceitful plot. He worked with the people back then, and he is still working with the people of the world now.
Problem is that humans can only see the narrow and shallow now but are bereft of the faith to the vision of the divine eternity that escapes them until death. No matter how the powers that be on this earth and their accomplices and enablers manipulate and exploit courtesy of their earthly titles and authority, they do not and cannot escape the karma that is coming to them sooner or later. ‘Death smiles on us all’, as Maximus said. ‘You can run and live, but only for a while according to William Wallace. ‘What we do in this life echoes in eternity’, added General Maximus. The standard we speak of here is not any kind of human standard. But the ideal that justice is built upon a moral standard. Most often than not it is worldly power that causes injustice which in turn breeds rebellion. Instead of doing the right thing, many among those in power create their own brand of morality away from that of the true author of it and scapegoat those who do not fall in line. Like I said, as in the Jewish or Russian or Chinese holocaust, the powerful may be gods in their time. And justify to the high heavens that they are all they want. But moral justice will soon find them. And kill them with the divine sword. For they took what is not theirs to take. They usurped the powers of God. Divine retribution gets all evildoers in the end. For we all die in the end and answer for all sins we committed against our fellow human beings. It may not be until months or years or decades from now. But it shall be. It will come to pass. And the offenses we gave us too shall get.
God has the final answer. No man does. Man is foolish as scripture says. He thinks he is god especially when he adopts the ways of evil like deceit, cunning, lies, arrogance, greed, and willful violence. That is why any human aspiration that is not rooted in the moral divine truth ultimately fails. Our drunkenness with political power is the height of all modern sins. Political power bestows on the owner of it everything that can satisfy the senses. Even if the perks of public office are supposed to be just the fringe benefit for serving the people and sacrificing one’s own personal benefit. There is everything that is morally right with aspiring to serve one’s fellowmen IF that service is TRUE. But there is everything that is morally wrong when it is aspired for and executed away from the common good replaced by selfish desires for naked power, greed, entitlement, and lust. Power under the wrong hands has turned everything backward. Servant leadership in a moral sense is lost. Someone once told me that my emancipation from what troubled me could only be found in heaven. I think it is true not only for me but for anyone who picks up his cross and carries it. I wish I could give the same advice to those whose hearts have been hardened. To whom I can only say ‘Peace be with you’.
