(RNS4-APR02) “Anger is a legitimate human emotion, but when we let it out of control, it becomes wrath, which is not constructive and is also a deadly sin,” said the Rev. Oliver F. Williams, a Catholic priest and management professor at the University of Notre Dame. For use with RNS-BONUS-ANGER, transmitted April 2, 2009. Religion News Service photo courtesy UND.

(RNS4-APR02) “Anger is a legitimate human emotion, but when we let it out of control, it becomes wrath, which is not constructive and is also a deadly sin,” said the Rev. Oliver F. Williams, a Catholic priest and management professor at the University of Notre Dame. For use with RNS-BONUS-ANGER, transmitted April 2, 2009. Religion News Service photo courtesy UND.

(UNDATED) Recession-scarred Americans have focused their fury on the $165 million in bonuses paid to employees at AIG, the insurance giant that was rewarded by the inflated housing market and then rescued by more than $180 billion in government funds after the bubble burst.

The public outcry has risen to a fever pitch, including death threats against employees and a House bill to tax the bonuses away. But while anger is justified, acts of vengeance and rage are nearly — if not equally — as problematic as the bonuses themselves, according to business ethicists, faith leaders and academics.

“Anger is a legitimate human emotion, but when we let it out of control, it becomes wrath, which is not constructive and is also a deadly sin,” said the Rev. Oliver F. Williams, a Catholic priest and management professor at the University of Notre Dame.

Similar distinctions were made by Williams’ counterparts at other business programs and from different religious backgrounds. They also caution against hypocrisy — Christians cite Jesus’ admonition against casting the first stone — since many people, from consumers to lawmakers, had a role in the financial meltdown.

From a Jewish perspective, religious law offers clear precedents for handling theft and deception without resorting to blind outrage, said Moses Pava, a business ethics professor at Yeshiva University, which lost millions through the fraud perpetrated by financier Bernard Madoff.

Even if the AIG bonuses are contractually kosher, he explained, employees have a stronger obligation to refuse the payments, based on the Jewish concept of “covenant” — a social contract concerning appropriate behavior. But, for those who choose to keep the money, Judaism’s age-old “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” principle of retribution still requires due process, and leaves room for forgiveness.

“I don’t think anybody is telling an individual or group that lost significant amount of money that they don’t have a right to be angry, to express anger,” Pava said, “but there’s no Jewish rabbi that could possibly condone going to somebody’s house or making death threats. Let’s see what happens, in terms of the legal process.”

To be forgiven, he added, wrongdoers have to sincerely apologize and change their behavior — a standard that’s in line with Christian beliefs, said Daryl Koehn, executive director of the Center for Business Ethics at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

By openly admitting their mistakes, and taking steps to ensure that taxpayer contributions cannot be used for future bonuses, executives at bailed-out companies could help lower the outrage. In turn, however, Americans must attempt to control their fury over the compensation, taking into account that most employees at AIG and other large firms had nothing to do with the financial crisis.

“Anger can be a cleansing and helpful emotion, but it can also, as the Buddhists also say, be quite poisonous,” she said. “We don’t want to set into motion any kind of violent scape-goating of people.”

Christianity places a high value on forgiveness, but that doesn’t mean that wrongdoers — including executives who reward poor performance — should go unpunished, Williams said. Anger can even serve the public interest, if it’s channeled in an effort to prevent further harm.

“I can forgive you, but if you owe me money, I’m going to demand that you give it to me if you have it,” he explained. “I’m not going to kill you or anything like that, but justice is also a crucial biblical value.”

In the pursuit of justice, however, two wrongs don’t make a right, cautioned Ronald M. Green, faculty director of the Ethics Institute at Dartmouth College. St. Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic philosopher, opposed retroactive lawmaking, such as Congress’ recent efforts to enact a 90 percent tax on AIG bonuses. Instead, the focus should be on encouraging more employees to voluntarily return the funds, while enacting regulations to ensure taxpayers share in future profits.

Dartmouth strategy professor Vijay Govindarajan agreed, expressing concern that unchecked public anger can have a chilling effect on capitalism, particularly if lawmakers cave to populist demands to restrict foreign workers and raise taxes on imports. More regulations are needed, he said, but America’s economy needs the most qualified employees and a free flow of goods in order to recover.

From a Hindu point of view, he added, the recession serves as a reminder that we should focus less on money and other material goods, and more on spiritual riches, in order to achieve happiness. Those struggling to control their rage over bailouts and bonuses should take a few deep breaths or try a few moments of meditation, he advised, while seeking broader perspective.

“Not every CEO is a crook, not every big company is a problem,” Govindarajan said. “Remember, money is important as a means to an end, but the moment you attach meaning to life based on how much money you have accumulated, you are lost. You are in danger of spiritual bankruptcy.”

And that, he said, might be the most dangerous bankruptcy of all.