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Friday 1 August 2014

Going Public with the Truth

Don’t Be Intimidated (Aug-Sept 2014)

Don’t be intimidated.
Eventually everything is going to be out in the open,
and everyone will know how things really are.
So don’t hesitate to go public now.
MT 10: 26,27 The Message

Scene from To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962

In previous entries we noted the growing international and multi-sectoral efforts to prevent/confront corruption. These efforts collectively include general guidelines along with specific calls for transparency and accountability (for examples see the April-May 2014 entry on “Uniting Together to Confront Corruption”). Another current and high-level example is the inclusion of anti-corruption action within the Open Working Group’s 17 “Proposed Goals” and 169 “Targets” for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs, including global/national action on corruption, will be discussed, debated, and negotiated at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September. Proposed Goal 16 and three of its targets, call upon the world’s governments and the world community at all levels to:

 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels” [and]
--16.4 by 2030 significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen recovery and return of stolen assets, and combat all forms of organized crime
--16.5 substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all its forms
--16.6 develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels..."


This proposed SDG is a step forward—but only potentially. It will need concerted government and civil society support, measureable goals, and personal integrity and action at all levels to really impact the global plague of corruption.  As we noted in our April-May 2014 entry:

To be effective, major anti-corruption efforts need consensus on guiding principles, unity in public support, and commitment to practical applications. Practical applications can be very challenging though, where these hindering factors exist: limited experience/interest in dealing with corruption; risks of reprisals and lack of whistleblower protection; threats to livelihoods, revenue streams, status, reputations, public opinion, and power structures; and desires to maintain the belief that one’s personal/organisational “world” is safe, good, and impervious to corruption. The result of these hindrances is often a substantial and deceptive gap between our good principles and our good practices—ultimately at the expense of vulnerable people, especially the poor of the world.”

NCI Update
It is important to respond to the ongoing calls for integrity and action in the Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI). Together we must do our part to “reduce corruption” and “develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels,” as called for by the SDG proposal above. That is why the way we respond to NCI—the actions of the people and organizations “affected”—is so crucial. The world we want will not happen unless it happens in the trenches of our own consciences and character. The towers of governmental politics and international resolutions are never enough on their own.  A better world begins by taking personal responsibility and often that means taking personal risks as well as admitting mistakes. As stated in the October-November entry, Confronting Christian Corruption:

“We cannot pretend to be blind—to rationalize away our responsibility to take the risks necessary to confront Christian corruption….There is plenty of light shining for people to get informed and to take action in the NCI et al fraud. It is not too late for you to help. Listen to the pleas. Listen to your conscience. There will be breakthroughs. Maybe because of you.”

In light of the above comments, here are the proposed next steps to address the NCI fraud. It is another important opportunity to truly help—to help via the truth. Don’t be intimidated—it’s your world!

1. Present many of the organizations affected by NCI with:
--a) the Shine the Light—Together petition, including the names and comments of the 110+ signatories (many of them are current/former members of these organisations); and  
--b) the related  PETRA Statement 2012, an “international call for integrity and action,” which includes links to many core documents released by the Swedish court that support the specific concerns described in the Statement (available on the PETRA People website). 

2. Keep the public updated by summarizing and/or sharing on this weblog how organizations respond to the specific requests by the petition and Statement. “Discussion of corruption needs to be made open, with an emphasis that addressing it does not mean condoning it or implying particular vulnerability to it. Tackling corruption risks should form an integral part of quality assurance, accountability and good management strategies…” (Transparency International, Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Operations, 2010, p. 9).

3. Share portions of the unpublished investigative Review done by Rand Guebert (120+pages) on the NCI fraud and many of the specific individuals and organizations affected by it.  One question arises over and over in this review--where is the ethical and accountable corporate governance?” (Rand Guebert, Integrated Executive Summary, p. 9)

This petition is a call to many organizations and people, especially in the church and mission community (CMC), to transparently and verifiably disclose how they have been affected. Members of these organizations (past and present), donors, and the public are asked to help by respectfully and resolutely calling for the assistance of those affected by NCI. Millions of euros and dollars are still missing. “ (Shine the Light—Together petition)

“This current Statementbuilds upon the recent prosecution by Sweden of Nordic Capital Investment KB (NCI). We are calling again for assistance from organizations and people that have been affected by NCI…[and] for resolute action for transparency and accountability within the international church-mission community (CMC), including leaders and members at all levels of the organizations affected. This is not implying any wrong doing but rather it is a direct and public request to take ethical action—to do what would be expected of any other organization, church, or person of integrity to do in a similar situation…Authorizing independent and internal reviews is strongly encouraged. It is not helpful to simply try to “move on” and leaders and members are urged now to hold their organizations accountable…We urge organizations affected by NCI to emulate the organizations in the “United Response” to the New Era Scandal: be transparent, accountable and cooperate to return money.” (PETRA Statement 2012)

Who could be contacted?
1.  Organizations mentioned in the petition and Statement such as:
--Mercy Ships International (USA headquarters)
For examples of concerns, see: NCI Documents section on the PETRA People web site, and then open up the “Austria case” folder in the attachments.

--Youth With A Mission (three of their international leadership entities)

--Youth For Christ International (USA and Europe headquarters)
Examples of concerns: How were the personnel and office of YFC in Coppet, Switzerland affected (e.g., the physical address was used for NCI correspondence by a non-staff person)?

--One or more of the churches affected

2. Other organizations with experience in anti-corruption and good governance, including international Evangelical and Ecumenical organizations and international NGOs, some of which are partnering with the EXPOSED Campaign. “We further recognize that corruption is everywhere. From our sphere in the faith communities, we  need  to examine  our  practices  that may  have  contributed  to  corruption and mend  our ways. We  need  to  be  faithful  in  teaching  integrity,  and  as  we  abide  by  God’s  teaching,  we  hope  to  be  instruments of transformation in our society.” (May 2014 letter to G20 leaders, EXPOSED Campaign with many organizational signatories)


Telling Ourselves and Others the Truth
Here are five supportive resources for people committed to confront the NCI fraud with honesty and courage. Together, these materials illustrate the importance—and challenges—of countering deception at all levels via telling the truth to ourselves and others. See also the October-November 2013 entry on Deception.
Illustration courtesy of Marc Rosenthal  http://www.marc-rosenthal.com/

The Toolbox of Self-Deception (Tufts Magazine, Spring 2009) by Sam Sommers. This very readable, short article looks at how and why we kid ourselves. "When you stop to think about it...we enlist an impressive array of cognitive tactics and behavioral gambits in the daily effort to feel good about ourselves." (p. 33).  Some of the main "tools" we use include rationalization, the better than average effect, illusions of control, reflected glory, downward comparisons, and self-handicapping. This more benign approach to self-deception is a good way to ease into this important albeit difficult reality. Read this article here
http://www.tufts.edu/alumni/magazine/spring2009/features/toolbox.html

Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box (2010). by The Arbinger Institute. “Through a story...about a man facing challenges on the job and in his family [USA setting], the authors expose the fascinating ways that we can blind ourselves to our true motivations and unwittingly sabotage the effectiveness of our own efforts to achieve success and increase happiness.” (back cover). For too long, the issue of self-deception has been the realm of deep-thinking philosophers, academics, and scholars working on the central questions of the human sciences. The public remains generally unaware of the issue. That would be fine except that self-deception is so pervasive it touches every aspect of life. “Touches” is perhaps too gentle a word to describe its influence. Self-deception actually determines one’s experience in every aspect of life. The extent to which it does that, and in particular the extent to which it is the central issue in leadership, is the subject of this book.” (from The Arbinger website) Click here for more information: http://arbinger.com/product/leadership-and-self-deception/

Mistakes Were Made (but not by me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts (2007) by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson  “At some point we all make a bad decision, do something that harms another person, or cling to an outdated belief. When we do, we strive to reduce the cognitive dissonance that results from feeling that we, who are smart, moral, and right, just did something that was dumb, immoral, or wrong. Whether the consequences are trivial or tragic, it is difficult, and for some people impossible, to say, “I made a terrible mistake.” The higher the stakes—emotional, financial, moral—the greater that difficulty. Self-justification, the hardwired mechanism that blinds us to the possibility that we were wrong, has benefits: It lets us sleep at night and keeps us from torturing ourselves with regrets. But it can also block our ability to see our faults and errors. It legitimizes prejudice and corruption, distorts memory, and generates anger and rifts….Most of all, this book explains how all of us can learn to own up and let go of the need to be right, and learn from the times we are wrong—so that we don't keep making the same mistakes over and over again.”  Click here for more information on the book, cognitive dissonance, and to listen to a National Public Radio (USA) interview with Elliot Aronson: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12125926

Transparency: How Leaders Create a Culture of Candor (2008), by Warren Bennis et al. This concise book looks at what “conspires against "a culture of candor" in organizations to create disastrous results, and suggest ways that leaders can achieve healthy and honest openness. They explore the lightning-rod concept of "transparency"–which has fast become the buzzword not only in business and corporate settings but in government and the social sector as well. Together Bennis, Goleman, and O'Toole explore why the containment of truth is the dearest held value of far too many organizations and suggest practical ways that organizations, their leaders, their members, and their boards can achieve openness. After years of dedicating themselves to research and theory, at first separately, and now jointly, these three leadership giants reveal the multifaceted importance of candor and show what promotes transparency and what hinders it. They describe how leaders often stymie the flow of information and the structural impediments that keep information from getting where it needs to go. This vital resource is written for any organization–business, government, and nonprofit–that must achieve a culture of candor, truth, and transparency.” (from Amazon website) Click here to read the opening chapter--not to be missed: 
http://www.warrenbennis.com/images-books/Transparency_CH1.pdf 
  
Organizational Integrity and Responsibility. This is a selection of brief quotes from many sources (interspersed with quotes from Jesus Christ) to support people as they consider and respond to issues like corruption. The best way to protect your organization, and the public, is with the truth. Click here:  http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/focussdgs.html)

Final Thoughts
Counting the Cost  of Going Public

“From dawn to dusk the correction and copying of the Gulag went forward; I could scarcely keep the pages moving fast enough. Then the typewriter started breaking down everyday...This was the most frightening moment of all: we had the only original manuscript and all the typed copies of Gulag there with us. If the KGB suddenly descended, the many-throated groan, the dying whisper of millions, the unspoken testament of those who had perished, would all be in their hands, and I would never be able to reconstruct it all, my brain would never be capable of it again.

I could have enjoyed myself so much, breathing the fresh air, resting, stretching my cramped limbs, but my duty to the dead permitted no such self-indulgence. They are dead. You are alive: do your duty. The world must know all about it.

They could take my children hostage—posing as “gangsters,” of course. (They did not know that we [my wife and I] had thought of this and made a superhuman decision: our children were no dearer to us than the memory of the millions done to death, and nothing could make us stop that book.)”

[bold font added] Excerpt from The Oak and the Calf1975, Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, English translation, 1979, 1980 by Harper and Row Publishers. 

Don’t be intimidated 
to go public with the truth.

Friday 30 May 2014

Don’t Be Afraid (June-July 2014)

Case Studies in Confronting Corruption

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.
Thoreau
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In this entry we share some case examples, stories, and perspectives from people who have confronted corruption, often in some complicated and risky situations. As you will see in these examples, corruption is entrenched and ubiquitous. Courage, competency, and commitment with others along with perseverance, public awareness, and legal action, are needed to deal with corruption effectively

NCI Updates
We share these examples to encourage you in your inevitable encounters with corruption, big or small. We also share them in hopes that many of the people who have been affected by the NCI fraud will be encouraged to help---including the current/past staff, board members, donors, and partners of the organizations affected by NCI, including YWAM, Mercy Ministries, Mercy Ships, and Youth For Christ, along with churches and victims. We note again the core request below from the Shine the Light-Together petition, signed by over 100 people.

This petition is a call to many organizations and people, especially in the church and mission community (CMC), to transparently and verifiably disclose how they have been affected. Members of these organizations (past and present), donors, and the public are asked to help by respectfully  and resolutely calling for the assistance of those affected by NCI. Millions of euros and dollars are still missing. See the core materials [on the petition site] for more information.

Update 1. Petition. The plan is to present the petition to several of the organizations that have been affected, as requested in the petition. 

Update 2. Other Requests for Help. We are aware of at least two other organizations that have recently been approached to help identify where some of the NCI money may have gone.

Update 3. Legal. Currently we are aware of no additional criminal cases related to NCI besides the 2010-2011 Swedish case (that determined NCI to be a gross, longstanding fraud) although there is still the possibility in a some countries.There is currently a civil case where several victims are seeking justice.

Update 4. Harassment. Serious discrediting continues to happen for some of the people who are calling for ethical action and verifiable disclosures in the NCI case.  

Update 5. Anti-Corruption Efforts. The previous weblog entry (April-May 2014) highlights some of the growing efforts by organizations and governments to combat corruption. PETRA People Network is now an official partner of the EXPOSED Campaign.

Case Studies
Case 1. What does it take to be a corruption fighter? 
Short video by Transparency International (2013)
Core remarks from several people working in anti-corruption efforts.

For more materials/stories from Transparency International—click here.

Case 2. Why can’t Grace go to school? 
Short video by Exposed Campaign (2014)
Corruption may not be as straightforward as you think….yet there are many links in its multi-casual chain that we can break in order to disrupt it and protect vulnerable people.


For more materials/stories from EXPOSED Campaign—click here.

Case 3. How do you blow a whistle in a huge system like the UN? 
Trailer for The Whistleblower film (2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al3anBiHwmI

The Whistleblower is a movie "based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex scandal." Bolkovac, played by Rachel Weisz, "finds herself confronting a 'dangerous reality of corruption, cover-up and intrigue amid a world of private contractors and multinational diplomatic double-talk'. A fictionalised account inspired by actual events, the movie deals with issues both real and abhorrent: human trafficking, violence against women and cross-border organised crime. United Nations peacekeepers and staff are portrayed as turning a blindeye to, or worse, actually being complicit in these crimes." The Whistleblower premiered in September 2010 at the Toronto International Film Festival. 

Case 4. Can a family’s resilience sustain it as it confronts corruption/cover-ups in mission/aid? Article by Kelly and Michele O’Donnell (2013)
At the heart of this chapter is the Pace family, four resilient people who refused to ignore an international fraud in the mission/aid community. Names and other identifying details have been changed, and some information is presented in a composite form. We highlight this serious case to provide support for two types of families: mission families, as they navigate expected challenges of mission/aid life (e.g., transitions, culture stress, relationship tensions, child rearing, existential anxiety, and financial pressures), and the broader mission/aid “family” that comprises senders (agencies/churches) and the international mission/aid community, as it works to develop good governance, accountable management, and verifiable transparency. This case study gives cause for both the Korean and the international mission/aid communities to reflect on the quality of their work and its possible shortcomings, on issues of transparency and accountability, and on the challenges facing mission families. It is also a wake-up call to the reality of corruption in our midst and the resilience needed as part of our commitment to “love truth and peace” (Zech. 8:19). Excerpted from chapter 22 in Family Accountability in Missions: Korean and Western Case Studies (pp 175-176, OMSC Publications. 2013).
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Tuesday 1 April 2014

Uniting to Confront Corruption (April-May 2014)

Good Principles and Good Practices
Many claim to have unfailing love,
but a faithful person who can find?
Proverbs 20:6 NIV

There are a growing number of efforts across sectors to prevent and deal with corruption.  This entry highlights 10 of them, many having a global reach. We strongly welcome these efforts and encourage people to rally behind them!

To be effective, major anti-corruption efforts need consensus on guiding principles, unity in public support, and commitment to practical applications. Practical applications can be very challenging though, where these hindering factors exist: limited experience/interest in dealing with corruption; risks of reprisals and lack of whistleblower protection; threats to livelihoods, revenue streams, status, reputations, public opinion, and power structures; and desires to maintain the belief that one’s personal/organisational “world” is safe, good, and impervious to corruption. The result of these hindrances is often a substantial and deceptive gap between our good principles and our good practices—ultimately at the expense of vulnerable people, especially the poor of the world.

PETRA People Update
The 10 examples featured in this entry reflect the encouraging upsurge in the global efforts to confront corruption. They highlight the potential for substantial progress in the church-mission and humanitarian sectors along with the United Nations. The PETRA People Network has been consistent with and is part of this new upsurge of united efforts as it calls for action in the international NCI fraud. To quote the Network’s Shine the Light-Together!  petition:
This petition is a call to many organizations and people, especially in the church and mission community (CMC), to transparently and verifiably disclose how they have been affected. Members of these organizations (past and present), donors, and the public are asked to help by respectfully and resolutely calling for the assistance of those affected by NCI. Millions of euros and dollars are still missing.

Next steps: Present the petition with the 100+ signatories/comments to organisations affected by the NCI fraud.  Share the results and encourage these organisations to do the same.  People will thus have another opportunity to get on board with the growing efforts to prevent and deal with corruption—to close the gap between good principles and good practices. It is not too late to respond to the calls for integrity and action--retroactive integrity can still be very helpful.

Current Efforts to Unite Against Corruption

1. Church Mission Sector
Exposed Campaign (petition)
“We are a global coalition of individuals, organisations and churches committed to shining a light on corrupt practices and systems which affect us all, but particularly the poorest, sabotaging essential public service provision…..We are encouraging local action around the globe by citizens wanting to expose and stand up to corruption. We are encouraging churches to talk and preach about corruption, and ensure they are transparent and honest in their own practices. And we're gathering 1 million signatures to take to the world's most powerful leaders - the G20 - meeting in Brisbane in November 2014….to take practical steps that promote greater transparency in the financial affairs of business, government and individuals. Together we can influence them to make it harder for corrupt practices to flourish; including bribery, tax evasion, and abuse of public influence–all of which impact poorest people the most.“


Thirty Pieces of Silver (study/reflection for Lent 2014)
“[This study is an] exploration of corruption, bribery, transparency, and justice in the Scriptures…Spirituality and resisting corruption are closely tied together in the Bible where right behaviour is inextricably linked to the worship of God. This shapes attitudes to corruption throughout the Bible.”

“What part does corruption play in your life? That may seem a strange question to ask an audience such as this. Many may answer that, of course, as Christians, we would have nothing whatsoever to do with it. But others among us live with the dire consequences of corruption every day. Our assertion in this paper is that, whether we recognize it or not, we are all caught up in one form or another of corruption or its consequences and, as Evangelical Christians, we need to do more to prepare and engage in the fight against it.”

The results of the 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International indicate the seriousness of the worldwide corruption problem. Although recent decades have witnessed a global public awareness and an increase in attempts to eradicate corruption, it is an ongoing problem. It is evident that legislation is not an effective deterrent and it should therefore also be tackled at grass roots level by involving ordinary citizens, including Christians. On an individual level, it entails personal honesty and the living of exemplary lives. The golden rule of Jesus Christ can serve as a guiding principle for everyday life, namely do to others what you would have them do to you. On the public level, it requires the willingness to act as whistle-blowers. Christians are called and sanctioned by God to participate actively in society’s transformation. They need to think ethically and to act with the proper attitude.”

2. Humanitarian Sector
“The…Standard outlines the key commitments to improve the quality, effectiveness and accountability of humanitarian action. It consists of 10 commitments, each with accompanying core requirements, indicators and means of verification to help organisations respect the commitment and to assess their level of application both at the organisational and operational level. The Standard includes organisational, operational and individual aspects; it describes the necessary capacities, responsibilities and performance measures. These measures are essential for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of accountable and high-quality and effective humanitarian programmes.  [Note: The Standard is still in development. Commitments 6 and 9 are especially relevant in ant-corruption efforts—Complaints Handling and Stewardship of Resources.]

[This Charter] is an initiative of international NGOs demonstrating their commitment to transparency, accountability and effectiveness. The Charter provides the only global, cross-sectoral accountability framework for NGOs. The Charter defines principles towards which the Members report annually. This [framework] triggers organisational developments which have significantly improved the effectiveness of NGOs.

Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Operations (2010, Transparency International)
“The handbook is designed to help anyone working in the humanitarian sector identify and prevent the corruption risks faced by their particular organisation or department, or within a specific programme or role. It does not try to set out industry-wide standards for aid agencies in emergencies. Rather, it describes ‘what to do’ to minimise corruption risks, while numerous reference documents attached offer technical details on ‘how to do it’.

“IATI is a voluntary, multi-stakeholder initiative that seeks to improve the transparency of aid in order to increase its effectiveness in tackling poverty. IATI brings together donor and developing countries, civil society organisations and other experts in aid information who share the aspirations of the original IATI Accra Statement 2008 and are committed to working together to increase the transparency of aid.”

3. United Nations
“Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish. This evil phenomenon is found in all countries—big and small, rich and poor—but it is in the developing world that its effects are most destructive. Corruption hurts the poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development, undermining a Government’s ability to provide basic services, feeding inequality and injustice and discouraging foreign aid and investment. Corruption is a key element in economic underperformance and a major obstacle to poverty alleviation and development. I am therefore very happy that we now have a new instrument to address this scourge at the global level. The adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption will send a clear message that the international community is determined to prevent and control corruption. It will warn the corrupt that betrayal of the public trust will no longer be tolerated. And it will reaffirm the importance of core values such as honesty, respect for the rule of law, accountability, and transparency in promoting development and making the world a better place for all.” (from the Foreword by Kofi Anan)

The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary driver of globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. As social, political and economic challenges (and opportunities)—whether occurring at home or in other regions—affect business more than ever before, many companies recognize the need to collaborate and partner with governments, civil society, labour and the United Nations. This ever-increasing understanding is reflected in the Global Compact's rapid growth. With over 12,000 corporate participants and other stakeholders from over 145 countries, it is the largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative in the world.”
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Unite against corruption.
Do what is right, even if there are risks.
Act resolutely to protect vulnerable people.
Close the gaps between good principles and good practices!

File:Zero rupee front.jpg


Saturday 1 February 2014

Using Our Brains

Bystanders and Groupthinkers
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If I Only Had a Brain
75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz (1939)—and still learning from it

Have you ever wondered what prevents people from helping others in need? Specifically, in the international NCI et al fraud, what prevents people from responding to the ongoing calls for help? Intentional cover ups by complicit people are a big part, but they are not the full story. What prevents us from using our brains, literally, to think critically and to act morally?

Some of the inaction can be attributed to cognitive dissonance--the self-justification that occurs when we experience (consciously or unconsciously) a discrepancy between our purported values and our actual actions (see the weblog entry on Deception from Oct-Nov 2013 for more examples). We basically rationalize away our responsibility for and fear of taking a stand, preserving our sense of goodness and livelihoods, and explain away mistakes made or wrongs done. It is a serious de facto flaw that is hard-wired into our brains, affecting our thinking objectively and morally.

Two other dynamics (largely social influences) that affect people’s lack of response to helping others are the bystander effect and groupthink. Both involve uncritical social conformity and deceptive self or group-rationalization/protection. In cases such as NCI et al., these “normal” social processes, alone and with others, seriously distort reality to the detriment of others. Let’s have a look.

Bystanders
“The bystander effect is a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. The probability of help is inversely related to the number of bystanders. In other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help. Several variables help to explain why the bystander effect occurs. These variables include: ambiguity, cohesiveness and diffusion of responsibility.” For more information see the rest of this wiki entry at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

Application to NCI et al—Be aware of these dynamics and self-statements, examples: “I really don’t understand all of this stuff (nor do I want to know); No one else seems to be doing anything so why should I; There is little that I can do, want to do, am responsible for doing;  The “authorities" and/or leaders will help;  Someone else somewhere is somehow responsible to do something at sometime.”

Antidote: Get informed—use your critical thinking brain.  Act with integrity—use your morally-competent brain .  See the Shine the Light-Together petition below for more information and action.


The wicked witch’s castle: 
A testing ground for bystanders and groupthinkers

Groupthinkers
"[Groupthink is a] mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action. (Janis)….Janis prescribed three antecedent conditions to groupthink: 1) High group cohesiveness; 2) Structural faults (insulation of the group, lack of impartial leadership, lack of norms requiring methodological procedures, homogeneity of members' social backgrounds and ideology);  3) Situational context (highly stressful external threats, recent failures, excessive difficulties on the decision-making task, moral dilemmas)…. According to Janis, decision making groups are not necessarily destined to groupthink. He devised seven ways of preventing groupthink” For more information see the rest of this wiki entry at:

Ten Symptoms (Processes) of Groupthink
Decision Making: A Psychological Analysis of Conflict, Choice, and Commitment (Janis & Leon, 1979).
                                                                                  
A. Overestimation of the group’s power and morality
1. Illusion of Invulnerability: Members ignore obvious danger, take extreme risk, and are overly optimistic.

2. Collective Rationalization: Members discredit/explain away warning contrary to group thinking.

B. Close-mindedness
3. Illusion of Morality: Members believe their decisions are morally correct, ignoring the ethical consequences of their decisions.

4. Excessive Stereotyping: The group constructs negative stereotypes of rivals outside the group.

C. Pressures towards uniformity
5. Pressure for Conformity: Members pressure any in the group who express arguments against the group’s stereotypes, illusions, or commitments, viewing such opposition as disloyalty.

6. Lack of Self-Censorship: Members withhold their dissenting views and counter-arguments.

7. Illusion of Unanimity: Members perceive falsely that everyone agrees with the group’s decision; silence is seen as consent.

8. Mindguards: Some members appoint themselves to the role of protecting the group from adverse information that might threaten group complacency.

Added by PETRA People--In “religious” settings two other symptoms/processes are relevant and affect the other eight above:

D. Belief in Divine specialness
9. Special divine guidance. Pervasive wish/distorting belief that God is especially with us/our group/our leaders and guiding us and protecting us. What we do is really special—extra special. Human accountability is not really needed.

10. Special divine favor. Pervasive wish/distorting belief that we are God’s special agents/recipients of God’s special favor. We are really special—extra special. Human accountability is not really needed.

Challenges or concerns about these beliefs or actions (9-10) are often seen as being “unspiritual”, “disloyal,” and/or “rebellious.” People who question them can be discredited, disciplined, and dismissed. Or even worse.

Application to NCI et al—Be aware of these dynamics and self-statements, examples: “Leaders are informed. I trust our leaders unquestionably. The group knows best. I am part of a group/organization that acts ethically. We are right and see things clearly or the most clearly. Others are mistaken. Because we are right/special we do not need outside help/accountability. We always think critically and act morally.”

Antidote: Get informed—use your critical thinking brain.  Act with integrity—use your morally-competent brain. See the Shine the Light-Together petition below for more information and action.

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Using Our Brains
We sincerely hope that in 2014 there will be changes: decisive shifts in the ongoing cognitive dissonance, bystander effect, and groupthink that have plagued the church-mission community, compromising its moral integrity and spiritual authority. We have brains to help—critically thinking brains and morally competent brains. Let’s use them!

Shine the Light-Together

Shine the light on fraud. Your voice counts!
This petition is an international call for the organizations and people affected
by the NCI fraud to help--to transparently and verifiably disclose.
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"An important part of Nordic Capital Investment KB (NCI) has been successfully prosecuted in Sweden and declared to be a longstanding fraud (2010-2011). One person was prosecuted, a Swedish man, and there are thousands of pages of court documents now that shed light on the far broader aspects of this international fraud (see the link to the "NCI Summary Information: 10 Core Points" at the top of the PETRA people website--https://sites.google.com/site/petrapeople/).

It is time for the many organizations and people, especially in the church and mission community (CMC), to transparently and verifiably disclose how they have been affected. Members of these organizations (past and present), donors, and the public are asked to help by respectfully and resolutely calling for the assistance of those affected by NCI. Millions of euros and dollars are still missing.

The important PETRA Statement 2012 below overviews the international NCI et al. fraud and the previous calls for assistance. It also provides you with core inks to important documents and lists the organizations that are being asked again for help. The Statement and core links are crucial for understanding and confronting NCI…”

More information is on the petition web site.
Sign it, share it, and act on it!