Yet, Calcutta has one of the world’s lowest murder rates.

But are poor people really more violent? Or do they suffer more violence because their communities cannot afford good-quality law enforcement? Then there are places like Calcutta, India, where millions live in extreme poverty. According to some statistics, about 90 percent of all violence-related deaths, including suicide, have occurred in the world’s less-prosperous nations and the poorer neighborhoods of cities are often high-crime areas. Some researchers hold that poverty and inequality trigger violence. Why do some countries report murder rates 60 times higher than others? Why have wars and other forms of violence been a constant feature of human history? Baffling questions are many convincing answers are few. ( Colossians 3:5 Philippians 4:8) God will then help us “to be made mighty in the man are inside.”- Ephesians 3:16. On the other hand, when we feed our mind with wholesome things, such as those mentioned in the article on page 8, we starve and “deaden” bad desires and nurture good ones. How so? Jesus Christ, who had profound insight into the human heart, stated: “Out of the heart of men, injurious reasonings issue forth: fornications, thieveries, murders, adulteries, covetings, acts of wickedness, deceit, loose conduct, an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, unreasonableness.” ( Mark 7:21, 22) We feed such wrong inclinations when we repeatedly look at, listen to, or think about bad things.- James 1:14, 15. In view of the many forces that advocate or glorify violence, is it possible to become a truly peaceable person in today’s world? Yes, as we shall now see.Įven though violence may be triggered by a number of elements, its primary roots lie within ourselves. Such behavior offends God.- Titus 1:16 Revelation 17:5, 6 18:24. During the two world wars, members of mainstream religions-“Christian” and non-Christian-slaughtered one another, often with the blessing of their spiritual leaders. But it is not just bigots, extremists, and fanatics who are to blame. Religion is often linked to violence, including sectarian violence and terrorism. Weak, incompetent, or corrupt systems of justice directly or indirectly promote violence.įalse religion. “Because sentence against a bad work has not been executed speedily, that is why the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad,” says Ecclesiastes 8:11. A result is that a person under the influence may become more prone to violent behavior and respond more aggressively to provocation. Substance abuse not only impairs physical and mental health but also inhibits control centers in the brain. How true are the Bible’s words: “Where jealousy and contentiousness are, there disorder and every vile thing are”!- James 3:16.Īlcohol and drug abuse. ( Genesis 4:1-8) Inflamed with jealous hatred, Cain murdered his brother-even though God warned Cain to control his emotions and promised to bless him if he did.

The first documented murder in human history was committed by a man named Cain. Such individuals, states another work, may become mindless puppets, losing “all the feelings of social responsibility.” Why? They are “less aware of their own moral standards and are much more likely to respond to violent or aggressive cues,” says the book Social Psychology. As is often seen at sporting events, people in groups or mobs seem to have fewer inhibitions against bad behavior. Sometimes people resort to violence when they are oppressed, discriminated against, socially isolated, or economically deprived or when they feel that they have no control over their life. Many elements may be involved, including the following.ĭesperation and despair. And often, they cannot be attributed to a single factor, such as associates, entertainment, or social environment. THE roots of violence tend to be complex.

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