NEPA Families Find Solutions to Bullying From a Surprising Source

When their 11-year-old son came home from school, Eric and Janelle from Nicholson could sense something was wrong. The boy explained that a classmate made disparaging comments about his religion and angrily drilled him with questions during recess. The parents also discovered this was not an isolated episode. Their child was being bullied. And sadly, they would later learn their 9-year-old daughter was also bullied.

As millions of children head back to school this year, more than one in five of them will have a similar experience, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. And in a national study by the Cyberbullying Research Center, nearly 21% of tweens said they had been a target, aggressor or witness to bullying online or by other electronic means.

As parents search for ways to protect their children, a growing group of families are turning to an unlikely source for practical guidance: the Bible.

Eric and Janelle talked with both of their children about helpful Scriptural principles they learned through their faith as Jehovah's Witnesses. One Scripture their daughter memorized reminded her not to feel afraid or anxious because God is there to help her. "We talked about how they can be confident and not let these types of situations depress them," said Janelle. Her husband added, "We discussed practical points, like what situations to avoid. It's nice to see them apply that and see the situation get better.

They also went to jw.org, the Witnesses’ official website, where a search for the term bullying brought up a wealth of free resources including videos, articles, worksheets and other online activities on topics young people face at school. Those resources include a whiteboard animation entitled, “Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists” and an animated cartoon about the powerful effect of prayer for those who are being bullied.

Eric and Janelle's son decided to try to win his bully over with kindness. "I try to be outgoing and friendly with him," he said. "Now, he and I are school friends." Eric acknowledged, "They can talk and have good interaction now. It's a totally different outcome.”

Madison Bechtle of Clifton, New Jersey, also turned to the Scriptures when a cyberbully started harassing her in the eighth grade with dozens of disturbing notifications on her cell phone. “It was really crazy. He was sending me pictures of my house. I was really paranoid all the time,” she said.

Reading the Bible and praying calmed her anxiety. “It’s just you and God, and you’re just talking one-on-one,” she said. “It’s very comforting, and it works.”

She also followed the practical steps outlined in the jw.org whiteboard animation “Be Social-Network Smart” to protect herself. She told her parents and teachers about the situation and deleted the social media account her bully had targeted. “I still don’t have that account to this day,” said Madison, now 21.

“Not every situation resolves so easily. But applying the Bible’s advice and focusing on the big picture can help individuals cope and maintain their sense of self-worth,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“The Bible has proven to be a practical resource for many families to navigate difficult situations in life,” said Hendriks. “The principles found in this ancient book can help adults and children resolve conflict and maintain peaceful relationships with others.”

Principles like the so-called Golden Rule of treating others as you’d want to be treated, showing love and being slow to anger are tools Eric said help his family in many circumstances. "By discussing these topics as a family, my kids already have a plan of action. Instead of getting into a situation and then not knowing how to react, they already have something mapped out. It has been a big help!"