All for Trainers, Mobile phones and Big Screen TVs

Woman jumping from a burning apartment

As most of you may have heard, there has been a lot of rioting and looting in several parts of the UK. It all started after a peaceful demonstration in London about a man who had been killed by the police. Most of the rioters are teenagers (though some shameless grown up folks who are eager for freebies are also taking part) wearing hoods and masks and they've smashed windows of shops, stolen things then set the shops on fire.
In most cases the shops that have been vandalised are mobile phone shops, electrical appliance shops and clothes shops. Cars and buses were also set on fire. Even innocent people have been caught up in what had started off as a fight between the police and youths.

It is really sad and disheartening to watch, not to mention scary as well. I don't even want to be out at night because the thugs have also been stopping cars with barricades and pulling people out of their cars so that they can burn the cars. My local shopping centre was also targeted and it's just horrible seeing the damage that's been caused and I pray that it doesn't reoccur. Our country is a bit "soft soft" with these people and a part of me wishes they could get the riot police from African countries who would clamp this riot down in a few hours. lol ...they don't mess around and when they show up you run for your life... I think that if people are going to act like animals and infringe on the rights of law abiding citizens then they should be dealt with harshly. It's not the time to "coddle" the thugs and go go "koochie koochie koo". Its not the time to be seen to be politically correct but react appropriately to deal with violence....where are the rubber pellets or water cannons? This country goes out of its way to protect other countries but are afraid to do what's necessary to protect their own citizens...people are standing outside their homes with pots and pans to stop thugs from trashing their property .... shm...anyway that's another story all together. Please pray for us. *sad face*

There have been four fatalities linked to the violence which has now spread across the country.  I think the thugs engaging in these acts realised that they can possibly get away with this sort of behaviour and started rioting and looting in other parts of the country.
I stopped to think why would these young people do things like this? Why would they destroy their own community? Why would they torch another person's car? Is it just because they want a new pair of trainers or a new 40 inch LCD TV? I don't know if there are any clear answers to all these questions.
People talked about how it could be a result of high unemployment, poverty, lack of male role models, anger at society or government, boredom, dissatisfaction with life, bad relations between ethnic minorities and the police. But I ask, even in the times I have been disatisfied with life, I have not engaged in rioting or looting...because I believe there are other ways of dealing with such emotions. So what makes other people do it?

People came up with all sorts of different reasons but I think one of the main reasons why someone would riot, loot and destroy is that when you take God out of any equation then the enemy will fill that void. It's no surprise then that these young people do not respect their parents, teachers, other members of the community and now it seems even the police. When people have no conscience or fear of God, anything goes and lawlessness comes into force. So who is to blame?
Is it the parents for not teaching their children the right way to go? Is it the government for making cuts in services or for giving children and young people more rights and liberties than necessary? Is it the church for not doing more to spread the gospel? Only God knows.

One of my favourite hangouts was burnt and destroyed :(

I just ask that we all pray to God to intervene, He is Jehovah Shalom (our peace) and we ask that He may bring peace into the UK. May people who don't know God find Him during this trying time and may we emerge stronger and better as individuals and as a nation.