The Dangers of a Mob Mentality

"The men were terrible, in the bloody-minded anger with which they looked from windows, caught up what arms they had, and came pouring down into the streets; but, the women were a sight to chill the boldest...Armed men and women flocked out of the Quarter so fast, and drew even these last dregs after them with such a force of suction, that within a quarter of an hour there was not a human creature in Saint Antoine’s bosom but a few old crones and the wailing children...

Down, and up, and head foremost on the steps of the building; now, on his knees; now, on his feet; now, on his back; dragged, and struck at, and stifled by the bunches of grass and straw that were thrust into his face by hundreds of hands; torn, bruised, panting, bleeding, yet always entreating and beseeching for mercy; now full of vehement agony of action, with a small clear space about him as the people drew one another back that they might see; now, a log of dead wood drawn through a forest of legs...

Once, he went aloft, and the rope broke, and they caught him shrieking; twice, he went aloft, and the rope broke, and they caught him shrieking; then, the rope was merciful, and held him, and his head was soon upon a pike, with grass enough in the mouth for all Saint Antoine to dance at the sight of."-Charles Dickens from a Tale of Two Cities

Dickens chillingly portrays the madness of the mob mentality in his masterpiece, The Tale of Two Cities.  In this graphic account the entire village of St. Antoine converged and decided to brutally murder a man named Foulon.  The victim Foulon, was an arrogant aristocrat who frequently mocked the plight of the peasantry by telling them to,  "to eat grass."  As payback the revolutionaries decided to kill him by hanging him and stuffing his mouth with grass. Even though Dickens sympathized with the plight of the peasantry he was also quick to point out his disdain towards the brutality exhibited by the French Revolutionaries. 

As I read this passage I couldn't help but notice the similarities of the mob mentality that has engulfed England this past week.  Businesses have been torched, people killed, and lawlessness has replaced civil order. Like the French Revolutionaries in The Tale of Two Cities these modern day revolutionaries are also making similar claims that the wealthy have stolen from the poor. However, the problem with these phony revolutionaries is their definition of what it means to be wealthy. 

Judging by the actions of this mob the wealthy are those who own a business or who are against their anarchistic, Godless, utopic fantasies.  Countless mom and pop shops have been torched, innocent people have been killed, and millions of dollars of property have been damaged. For what?  It seems that these revolutionaries seem more hell bent on anarchy then on promoting a cause that benefits the common good.  Like the French Revolutionaries in Dickens' novel these revolutionaries are more blood thirsty then just. 

Contrast this to the actions of other legitimate revolutions in the past.   Take for example the Solidarity movement in Poland which was a peaceful, grassroots movement against Communism.  Not once did you hear about Solidarity supporters torching stores, houses, or killing innocent people.  This movement aided through Pope John Paul II was a peaceful, patient movement which saw its crowning achievement in the eventual toppling of Communism.   This movement unlike the cowardly one in England sought a greater good steeped in order, not in anarchy. 

Contrary to popular belief, in a similar vein, the Tea Party is doing the same.  Have you ever heard of Tea Partiers advocating anarchy or civil unrest? Instead the Tea Party like the Solidarity movement are attempting to change the political landscape through legitimate, grass roots means.  Yes, you might hear some inflammatory rhetoric from some radical elements of the Tea Party, but as a whole the Tea Party's mission is legitimate and unlike the gutless pseudo revolutionaries of England this movement is founded upon a mission greater then itself; of returning our country back to its constitutional, Godly origin.

The great lesson here is that Mob revolutions are generally founded on Godless principles.  Whereas legitimate revolutions are founded on Godly principles.   The Godless generally advocate violence, while the Godly advocate peace.  The Godless advocate anarchy, while the Godly advocate order.  The Godless stoke the fires of class warfare, while the Godly seek to promote justice for all.  Godly revolutions are based on the common good with the sole aim of creating a society that is beneficial to all, the poor, the middle class, and the wealthy alike.

A courageous revolutionary shatters a window of "a rich merchant"