“Slap Her” is a thought provoking viral video created by Fanpage.it in order to create awareness about domestic violence. The Italian news organization took to the streets of Italy to ask a few boys ages 7-11 years old questions about themselves and then introduce them to an attractive girl.
After a brief introduction the voice behind the camera instructs the boys to hit the girl. Each of the young boys behaves as a gentleman and refuses to slap the girl. This video seems to have made an impact as it has been viewed over 18 million times since it was released last week on January 4th, 2015.
What is it about this video that is causing it to be shared across the world? Were you surprised at the outcome? Expecting the boys to actually slap her?
It’s as if our standards of behavior towards one another have become so low that we are delightfully surprised at an act of kindness and peace. Maybe it is because our media bombards us with stories of violence, crime and betrayal that we have come to lose faith in the innate goodness of others or maybe it is because we have faced brokenness, abuse, and hurt in our own lives that our hearts have become hardened.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1711 Endowed with a spiritual soul, with intellect and with free will, the human person is from his very conception ordered to God and destined for eternal beatitude. He pursues his perfection in “seeking and loving what is true and good”
1712 In man, true freedom is an “outstanding manifestation of the divine image”
1713 Man is obliged to follow the moral law, which urges him “to do what is good and avoid what is evil” (cf. GS 16). This law makes itself heard in his conscience.
1714 Man, having been wounded in his nature by original sin, is subject to error and inclined to evil in exercising his freedom.
1715 He who believes in Christ has new life in the Holy Spirit. The moral life, increased and brought to maturity in grace, is to reach its fulfillment in the glory of heaven.
Our Catechism so eloquently and lovingly reminds us, that we should not be shocked at the goodness of others. We are created in God’s image. Therefore, the core of our being is good because we are a reflection of the Creator. We want to seek what is true, good and beautiful. Many times sin gets in the way of that, but Christ always forgives and provides the grace to overcome sin if we seek it. As evil as the world may seem, God will always win in the end.
