Human behaviour is characterized by so many factors. Would you please share some of the factors which shape human behaviour, with your friends and family. How do we deal with some of the challenges we face in life?
In the 1980s Bruce Globular a footballer used to play football for both Zimbabwe and Liverpool football club. He made a tremendous impact in Zimbabwe, in schools and communities with young people imitating him. The young people’s desire for football was influenced by Bruce. This story has been always in my thoughts; I am becoming a football fun through that background. I remember very well, teams fighting for wearing the red uniform claiming to be like Liverpool.
Football can create rivalry, tension, conflict and competition. Out of that mimetic desire people would end up in violence, fights or chaos during and after the game. The players and supporters would support each other even when they are wrong.
How often do you support each other even when you are wrong? just because you belong to the same team or group or community. In football how often do both teams after a serious conflict transfer the problem to the referee and football officials. The referee and football officials become the innocent victims -scapegoat dynamics are employed as a way of resolving the conflicts.
The Bible unlike many other books can be used and interpreted through the lens of mimetic human behaviour as it explores the dynamics of desire, imitation, rivalry, competition, conflict and violence. We are all shaped by our immediate world or environment.
Our style of living is determined by our community and the people we imitate. The challenge comes when we broke into fighting for our personal benefits at the disadvantage of other people. Only Jesus ‘sacrifice can bring a transformative love as an innocent victim or scapegoat for our sins on the cross and through his resurrection.
With Jesus new beginnings in our situations are possible.