Why Is Violence Increasing?

“Violent crimes—from homicides and rapes to robberies—have been on the rise in many major U.S. cities, yet experts can’t point to a single reason why and the jump isn’t enough to suggest there’s a trend… ‘It’s being reported on at local levels, but in my view, it’s not getting the attention at the national level it deserves,’ FBI Director James Comey said recently. ‘I don’t know what the answer is, but… do we have a problem’” (Associated Press, June 5, 2016).

But, why are we seeing this modern surge in violence? To avoid violence, a society must operate on sound moral and ethical standards. Historically, in Israelite nations, that standard has been God’s Ten Commandments. It should be no surprise that as a society rejects God’s standard of morality, violent crimes have increased. Bible prophecies have long anticipated this state of affairs. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves… disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving… without self-control, brutal, despisers of good... headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). We are reaping what we have sown (Jeremiah 2:17-19). Yet, the Bible also reveals the good news that Jesus Christ is going to return and establish His Kingdom on the foundation of the Ten Commandments—a set of ancient laws that most today seem to despise. A careful reading of those simple laws reveals the blessings that will come from following those basic instructions. To learn how to apply these God-given laws, be sure to read The Ten Commandments!