I believe there are many with a victim mentality. In this mentality, they have an excuse for all their lackings. This mentality breeds resentment and hatred, it fosters the idea that they aren't responsible for their lives but are merely thrown into an inescapable circumstance. They do many things out of spite and give you logic but its all based on negativity and cynicism. I'm afraid we've all been a victim of victim mentality at one point or another.
Who hasn't thought themselves unmerited of their current state? "If only this or that would happen...then I'd be happy and free" or "If my mom and dad would've done such and such thing then things would be better", honestly there is no end to the things we can complain about or be happy about and really the choice is ours.
We don't have to be victims. Those that are raped, molested, born with A.I.D.S., grow up in a foster home, get in a car accident, get thrown into a concentration camp, get crucified, go blind, lose everything that ever mattered to them are victims. But, how true it is that our mentality will restrict us and bind us to never moving on, if we keep the victim mentality? Those that go through these situations have so much burden to bear. I'm not saying its easy, but I am saying its the only way to move on, we have to accept that it happened and not let our hearts and minds be consumed by it. Just as Ghandi said "The rulers may have our land and bodies but not our souls." He understood that what happens to us in life doesn't have to overcome our spirits. Satan only has the power that we give him.
Its not easy to escape the victim mentality. Sometimes we hold on to the pain because its scary to invoke that vulnerability to trust again. So we try to have control over everything we can and that resentment and distrust gives us that control. We all have crosses to bear and trials to overcome. The trials don't have to define us as victims if we choose to not have a victim mentality. Its extremely hard but who was more of a victim than Christ?
Webster defines Victim to mean "one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment." I think the keyword is "Mistreatment". We love to think ourselves so innocent and how dare anyone cross us? We're not better than anyone for God loves us all the same. He does. He loves the sinner as much as the righteous but none are righteous we all have flaws that could only truly be seen when compared to the perfection of God. God might trust some more than others, but He truly loves us all equally.
Of course nobody is perfect and we all will be let down by others but we all have to share this world. If we hold others to the demands of perfection how lonely and bitter we will be all the days of our lives! We have to eventually love again or how empty and sad is that life? Do not let that which divides you from others become your only focus or you will have a deeper hole in your heart.
So, everyone is imperfect (so be humble) but God loves us all equally anyway? So how should we treat others? With love, respect, and dignity. We. Must. Forgive. Forgive, move on, love, let go of the anger and resentment.
"The Lord will forgive whom he will forgive, but men must forgive all."
-D&C 64: 10
"Inasmuch as men forgive one another, the Lord will forgive them."
-D&C 82: 1
That which you hold in anger and hatred will burn your hand. Its your choice to react the way you do. If something happens to you thats out of your control, remember, the only thing thats in your control is if you decide to be bitter or forgiving. If a bird poops on you, do you shoot the bird? You might like to but he's long gone. You could wallow in the despair of having to clean your shirt, complaining for all to listen, venting and criticizing all the birds in the world, digging deeper and deeper into the anger till it totally consumes your whole life. All over bird poop. Its all bird poop when you think about it. Why not just brush it off and move on? Your life will be so much easier. You won't have to keep picking and driving a wedge in your life. Wasting your time and energy.
Choose to not be a victim. Helen Keller is such an amazing example of this. Deaf, dumb and blind but she knew she had no control of that but had control of what she would do. It was her choice to not be consumed by her crosses to bear and like Christ overcame them through faith and love of life.
I learned this principle from my faith in Christ who led a life of hardships, persecution, trials directly from Satan, taking on the weight of all the sin in the world and being crucified all to fulfill His Father's will and didn't become bitter or shrink from the responsibility He had of drinking this bitter cup. He overcame and asks us to do the same.
"...knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon..."
-2 Nephi 2:26
"I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."
-Matthew 5:44
