The church and the Bible have a lot to say, yes! The root of the troubles was a breakdown in order in society, which is the constant context of life which the Bible addresses. Christianity offers an explanation for people doing wrong and hope for reconciliation and redemption.

The looting betrays a fundamental selfishness about the rioters: they were greedy and were willing to use violence to satisfy their envy. The indescriminate damage done to high street shops betrays a feeling of disconnectedness from the communities in which they live, and even from the very chains they usually shop at. The violence against the police betrays a feeling of “Us vs Them”, rebelling against authority. Some even threw rocks at fire fighters as they struggled to reach burning buildings and vehicles.

Of course it’s easy to label the looters as selfish; unloving towards their neighbours; and in rebellion against authority. We might also label MPs that way: selfish in their theft of expenses money; unloving towards their neighbours who elected them as representatives and who funded their greed; and rebelling against the authority of checks on public spending. We might also label journalists like that: chasing a story at the expense of someone’s privacy and covering up their illegality. Or how about the bankers? The police? You? Me?

The Christian message offers hope for a perfect City: the picture of God’s new creation. Before Jesus returns, the church has a mission to witness to him and to strive for good. The riots may have made that need more obvious than usual, but there are signs of it throughout society.

I just never understood rioting in your own neighborhood. I’m not saying go rioting in other neighborhoods. But it’s where you live, work, have families and friends.

In the U.S. in the mid-90s when the Rodney King (who was beaten by police and it was taped) verdict was read (which I think was not guilty), rioting happened in Los Angeles. And the same people that were angry with that verdict were the same people who lived in the neighborhoods where rioting and looting took place. Essentially they were stealing and destroying their own backyard.

I just don’t get it.

And I also don’t get the joke. lol Is it a UK thing? Oh, wait, I think I get it. Police have nothing to go on. LOL

One thing I did wonder about with the riots is how a secular humanist would deal with it. I’ve talked to people before who actually seem to believe that we are getting better and better, as a race. Science has solved virtually every problem known to man.

And yet, it still can’t solve the problem of the human heart. Those MPs weren’t fiddling expenses because they needed to. A lot of those rioters weren’t rioting because they really needed stuff. I think the human heart is pretty much rotten to the core, and how anyone can make the claim that we are ‘getting better’ is beyond me.

I honestly think Christianity is the only satisfactory answer to the question “why did the riots happen?” – because men love darkness rather than light.

Just my two pence on the issue, really! Sorry if this isn’t very coherent, it’s been a long day! :)