The bystander effect (also known as bystander apathy or bystander intervention) is a psychological phenomenon in which someone is less likely to intervene in an emergency situation when others are present than when he or she is alone.
Solitary individuals will typically intervene if another person is in need of help: this is known as bystander intervention. However, researchers were surprised to find that help is less likely to be given if more people are present. In some situations, a large group of bystanders may fail to help a person who obviously needs help. An example which shocked many people is the Kitty Genovese case. Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death in 1964 by a serial rapist and murderer. The murder took place over a period of about thirty minutes, after which it was reported that dozens of alleged "witnesses" failed to help the victim. For this reason, the name Genovese syndrome or Genovese effect was used to describe the phenomenon at the time. The death of Deletha Word in 1995 after witnesses failed to thwart her attackers, as well as the James Bulger murder case, may have been other well-publicized cases of the effect.
It is clear now, there are many speaking up about the pain. Go to MosaicOfPain.com and Discovering Truth blog and you will read of the pain and hurt. There is trouble. There is a crisis. There is a pattern that must be broken. Do you see the smoke? Look closer and you will see the flames. The fire has started to move outside of camp. This fire, this pattern, this pain can’t be denied.
On the MosiacOfPain myspace site you will find articles of not only former insiders but also of outsiders. These articles discuss the teaching of Erwin’s movement and others like him. These articles are from people not directly impacted from the barbaric blows but rather they study Erwin’s books, interviews and sermons via pod casts. They are waving the red flag to the church warning of dangers that exist today and the consequences if we do not act against these teachings. They warn of the twisted scripture being taught by this man.
A little over two years ago, I with two other friends were within seconds of being apart of an accident on the 60 freeway. It was about 3am in the morning and this particular part of the freeway was not well lit. As I drove around two crushed and mangled cars and their debris, I pulled over putting us in danger. We jumped out to help as we saw fit. We didn't ask each other for permission. We acted.
We helped to slow down the oncoming cars, in order to prevent another accident. We helped those injured. We helped calm one driver whom was obviously guilty. One of us held a man as he pasted away from his injuries. We tried calming the driver of the man that died. She screamed and cried for him by name. Bruce! Bruce! Bruce! She was devastated.
We weren’t the only ones that stopped to help. It took several others and it is clear they played vital roles during this crisis. There was one particular truck driver that came upon the accident and maneuvered his truck over 3 lanes to act as a shield for those of us exposed and at risk. That shield didn’t completely cover us from danger, but it did help allow us to focus on those injured and to bring the realization that we were not alone.
We saw a need and we acted. We did something. We weren’t trained emergency personnel, doctors, rescue workers or anything like that. If we hadn’t taken action there were sure to be more hurt and even some possibly killed.
Why do you watch while the pain continues? Why do you not act? Why do you choose to wait? Why do you wonder what the outcome will be when you can be part of the solution?
Mosaic Of Pain decided to take this public. Robbie Sortino separately spoke out in his way. I have decided with many others to stand and take action, that looks and takes on many diffrent forms. This is not one man's quest but rather OUR time to root out this pattern and to stand. This is our quest. This is our time to take action where we see the clear evidence of pain that must be stopped.
Are you a Bystander? Will you watch and hope? Or will you take action?
