Our Critical Times—Why So Violent?
UGLY, life-threatening violence has been with mankind since rebellion against the rightful sovereignty of God broke out back in the garden of Eden. By his deception, the original rebel, Satan, became the “manslayer” of Adam and of the entire unborn human family yet within his loins. (John 8:44; Romans 5:12) Soon, there followed the violent murder of Abel by Cain while Cain was “hot with great anger.” (Genesis 3:1–4:15) A peaceful world had ended. There has been violence ever since!
However, many now have the uneasy feeling that the violence of our times is somehow different, that it has got out of hand, that it is the manifestation of a terminally ill society. Is that merely an illusion? Has it not always been this bad?
Canadian philosopher George Grant has styled our critical period of history as “the most violent era the world has ever known.” He is not alone in this view. Psychiatrist Thomas Radecki calls it “a worldwide epidemic of violence,” adding: “We’re murdering people 300 per cent more often per capita than our parents’ generation, . . . raping 500 per cent more often, and assaulting 600 per cent more often.”
The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Everett C. Koop, has described the menace as an “epidemic of violence” that “threatens the community and family life.” The upsurge of violence in North American schools today is a frightening example. A U.S. TV newscast reported that “three million secondary school children are victims of crimes ranging from theft to rape and murder every month.”—Italics ours.
Because of the spread of terrorism, “Europe has become a bloodsoaked battleground,” says a French commentator. The extent of the peril is seen in his further remark that “the U.K. security industry is bigger than the police force, the navy or the army.” (Italics ours.) No wonder the 1980’s are now called “Fright Decade Two.”
Why So Violent?
Careful students of the appalling increase of violence in our dangerous times list many contributing factors: the media emphasis on violent events, crime and corruption; the way world leaders shamelessly resort to violence to stay in power; the sense of utter frustration with injustices that never seem to be resolved, leading some to feel that bullets will accomplish what ballots cannot; the callous way in which millions of the unborn are violently wrenched from existence by abortion; the way religious leaders uphold “just” wars and yet do not uphold moral principles in the face of lowering standards. The world soon gets desensitized, inured to violence. And there are other reasons.
The permissiveness of supposed progressive thinking in our time has altered customs and moral standards, removing the restraints that once served to check attitudes and actions that can lead to violence. The sad effect is seen especially in the young. Child psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Millar believes that “permissive attitudes are to blame for an increasingly violent North American society.” He said: “Never in the history of the world have we had so many mass murderers.”
Official reports on the unprecedented rise of orgies of violence by teenagers in postwar Japan have laid the blame on the breakdown of the family. Japan’s education minister in 1983 said: “There isn’t a single book nowadays that teaches children to revere their parents.” It is also admitted that “another factor that propels Japanese youth toward violence is the daily doses of undiluted savagery served up in comic books, films and television programs.”
It is not an exaggeration, therefore, to say that what a person reads or sees has an effect on his attitudes. Hostilities are heightened, so that often “viewing violence leads to violence.” “Indeed,” as one report put it, “the sports arena is second only to a guerrilla warfare zone for explosive violence.” A serious study published in Psychology Today argues that violent sexual films desensitize men’s perceptions about rape and rape victims. As Dr. Leonard Eron of the University of Illinois also argues: “Continued viewing of violence on television has a lasting effect on behaviour—and it is not a trivial effect.” Yet, what youngsters can see on Saturday morning TV has been totaled at 30 violent acts an hour! The conclusion drawn by a summary of more than 2,500 studies done in the past ten years: “Violence on television does lead to aggressive behavior.”
Sexual abuses and perversions also breed violence by destroying all sense of decency. (Romans 1:26, 27) Among the worst “corroders of ‘decency’” are obscene language, pornography and deviant sexuality. Interestingly, the Bible points out that in the last days of the pre-Flood world, the appearance on earth of rebellious spirit creatures to engage in illicit sexual practices brought with it a related problem. God himself said to Noah: “The earth is full of violence as a result of them.” (Genesis 6:1-5, 13) Their sexually violent influence ended when God brought a watery end to that riotous world.—Genesis 6:7; 7:11-24.
“The Last Days”
Jesus predicted the end of the present violent system, saying: “Just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of man.” (Luke 17:26) Would that again include violence on a grand scale due to the influence of wicked angels? Yes, for not only did Jesus foretell widespread lawlessness for that future time but in Revelation he pinpointed the source of it. He tells of ousting the original rebel, Satan himself, from heaven and says that “his angels were hurled down with him.” To where? The inspired vision answers: “Woe for the earth . . . because the Devil [the original violent one] has come down to you, having great anger.” So, once more, in the time of the end of a dying order, violence—again whipped up by wicked spirit forces—grips mankind!—Revelation 12:7-12; 6:4; Matthew 24:12.
Not to be overlooked, then, as one of the reasons for the stepped-up violence in our critical times is this increased demonic influence. One of its manifestations is the growing interest and involvement in the occult and various spiritistic practices. When you read of people who senselessly kill beloved family members or friends because they heard “voices” ordering them to do so, or when cult leaders order the horrible murder of innocent victims, it ought not be surprising also to read that the assailants were practicing Satanists or in some definite way were delving into the occult.—Deuteronomy 18:10-13; Galatians 5:19-21.
So there are some very significant reasons why these bad things are occurring in our critical times. Every cause mentioned is in some way a violation of God’s just laws. The original rebellion has now gone to seed. The sad results are a reaping of what has been sown. God will not be mocked. (Galatians 6:7) Actually, this generation of unmatched violence is exactly what was foretold by the apostle Paul at 2 Timothy 3:1-5. He also gives the causes, saying: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. [Why?] For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, . . . without self-control [or, “violent,” Today’s English Version], fierce, . . . headstrong.” Is not that just what we see about us? Yes, we are living in “the last days”!
Quickly, an entire generation has come to be “utterly self-centred” (Phillips), often “money-mad” (The Bible in Living English), “lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.” (The Amplified Bible) Such idolizing of self is nothing more than a modern-day rejection of Jehovah’s sovereignty. At the same time, however, this generation’s violent image marks it for removal and replacement.—1 John 2:15-17.
Our Violent World Ends!
When you have the Bible’s viewpoint, namely, that violence got its start with rebellion against the sovereignty of God, then it is not difficult to see that violence will not end nor will peace be restored until all modern-day rebels are justly removed forever by God. And that is exactly what he has purposed to do. “The God who gives peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.” (Romans 16:20) All of Satan’s violent “seed” must perish. And so must Satan.—Genesis 3:15; Matthew 25:41.
What a joy to be alive when Satan is removed! The “Prince of Peace,” Jesus, will make sure, then, that ‘there will be no end to peace.’ (Isaiah 2:2-4; 9:6, 7) It will be a whole new order, “the home of justice.” (2 Peter 3:13, The New English Bible) Earth’s new Ruler will banish for all time all forms of violence, including suffering and death. He says: “There shall be an end to death, and to mourning and crying and pain; for the old order has passed away!”—Revelation 21:1-4, NE.
Just as in the days of Noah, Jehovah has made loving provision for deliverance out of a violent world. (Zephaniah 2:2, 3) Until that deliverance comes, we must keep feeding on God’s Word to build an informed faith. “And what is faith? Faith gives substance to our hopes, and makes us certain of realities we do not see. . . . For anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who search for him.”—Hebrews 11:1, 6, NE.
Having strong faith, you can reject all violence. (Matthew 26:52) You can be assured that justice will yet prevail. (Deuteronomy 32:4) You can combat permissiveness in your children by “bringing them up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.” Remember, the Bible is the book that teaches children to respect their parents. (Ephesians 6:1-4) As a family, you can avoid pornography and keep your minds on worthwhile matters. (Philippians 4:8) This will serve also to protect you from “wicked spirit forces.”—Ephesians 6:10-18.
Happily, our knowing that what now exists is a temporary situation, soon to end, and that there is a way out, can give us strength to endure. Many of Jehovah’s Witnesses testify to this. You, too, can ‘escape all these things that are destined to occur.’ About these same woes for this time of the end, Jesus said: “As these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.” So, take courage! Jesus will shortly deliver mankind from all oppression and violence.—Luke 21:28, 36; Psalm 72:1, 2, 12, 14.