London Riots

Over recent days all that’s been talked about on the news is the riots in London, and the ‘copy cat’ riots in other major cities in England. Everyone’s response seems to be to condemn the senseless violence and opportunist thievery, as is mine. I would like to take this opportunity however, rather than simply ranting at those who display such obnoxious behaviour, to ask some questions. Why are (predominantly) young people
rushing on to the street and attacking seemingly random places? And, what should our response as Christians be?

Much of the violence seems to be deliberate and have no purpose other than to release adrenalin in the perpetrators. To ask why people would go out on to the street in this kind of riot, is in fact to ask why anyone would deliberately convict an unprovoked act of violence. To ask, in fact why people do wrong, why we sin? When we reduce the question to this we realise that, there is not really any difference between them and us.

How should we respond then, with hate and superiority? That seems to be what we see in the press, I would never do something like that, therefore I am better than them and they are a legitimate place to pour out my scorn and hate. Should we really respond like that, when we to are sinners, when without Christ’s grace we would deserve the same punishment?