I am desperately sad to consider how London has now seen over 50 deaths to date from stabbings and shootings since 2018 began. Predominantly these are young people . . . teenagers.

Why is this happening? Truly, why is this happening?

We listen to politicians, radio presenters, news readers, the Mayor of London, and ordinary people on the street blaming Conservative cut backs, not enough police on the streets, Mrs May’s curtailing of ‘Stop and Search’, gang violence, drug wars, and theft etc.

One thing that is never, ever mentioned, however, is that God has been taken out of the equation and therefore God and God's love have been left behind. There is certainly no love or respect on our streets when these killings are taking place; there is no God; no sense of the sacredness of life. All that is present is fear, hatred and uncontrolled anger. Love only appears when mothers are cradling their children in their arms as they die, and when families are left in deep mourning for the loss of children, brothers, sisters, friends.  We have just celebrated Easter 2018, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  That time, when Jesus allowed himself to be murdered, the love of his mother cradling her dead son should have marked the last time a parent held a child killed through gratuitous, needless violence.  Sadly, it was not to be.

Interestingly, I note that atheists seem to be absolutely silent concerning these heinous acts of young people murdering each other. Those who happily claim there is no God and no need of God have no answer when we see the results of godlessness causing the deaths of children by knife or gun. I truly sense that it is godlessness that enables our young people to have no regard for what human life means, while every life is special and of infinite worth to God, who is love, and grace, and compassion. It is godlessness that promotes fear and hatred, while there is no fear or hatred in the love that God is, and the love he calls us to have for him and for one another. It is godlessness that allows human anger to take up knives and guns to threaten and kill others for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, while God calls us to love our neighbour, to be the good Samaritan, to show compassion and kindness, and to let go of anger and get rid of it.

Atheism unfortunately has no answer to these hateful, angry acts, simply because atheism is behind this collapse of holding life as sacred because human beings are made in the image of God . . . otherwise, surely if godlessness promoted human freedom with a high calibre of moral understanding and love, we would be seeing the goodness of young people being poured out for one another without any reference to God or God’s love, wouldn’t we?  When Christ told Peter at the Garden of Gethsemane that, “He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword,” he was being far more prophetic than we realise. And when he encouraged all people to, “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself,” he was encouraging us to be aware of just how serious we need to be about acting compassionately and lovingly, as God loves us and shows us compassion, and not give in to anger and hatred.  God never calls us to pick up knives and guns just because someone is annoying, or irritating, or ‘on my turf,’ he reminds us that vengence should be left in his hands, as the ultimate judge.  It is godlessness that calls people to disregard consequences and have no care about their actions.  Love is a verb, and it is hard work, and in its fullness it can only be enabled and empowered by God; anger and hatred, on the other hand, are easy to give in to and to practice - and all they need are atheism to make them potent.