Bullying is often discussed as though it belongs only in schools. It does not.
I have seen what online bullying can do: how quickly a careless comment, a pile-on, or something passed around for entertainment can make a person feel exposed and alone. People sometimes dismiss it as “just the internet,” but the hurt does not stay online.
That is why this recent Friday sermon message stayed with me. It reminds us that compassion is not passive. We cannot claim to care about dignity while laughing along, sharing material meant to humiliate someone, or choosing silence when someone is being targeted.
The poster’s advice is simple, but important: help safely, support the person affected, and report what needs to be reported. Do not circulate recordings or comments that deepen the humiliation.
We all make choices in those small moments — whether to join in, scroll past, or step back and do the decent thing. A kinder online culture starts there.
May we be more careful with one another, both face to face and behind our screens.