Why Teenagers Turn to Violence

7. Teenagers who kill have lost hope for any enjoyable, meaningful life. We see this rampant in ghetto areas and among gang members who will cavalierly shoot another human being as an initiation rite. Feeling cut off from the larger society, hopeless about ever getting ahead in life, and with nothing much to live for, they see no reason not to steal or kill.

8. Having lost all hope for a decent life, many violent teenagers no longer care. After years of feeling different and unloved, they have given up hope. The only way they know to mask their hidden hurts and longings to be held, known, and loved is to quit caring. Outwardly they put on a tough, uncaring front, devalue all of life, and choose to leave at least one mark on this world, even if it is tragically hurtful for others.

9. Many violent teenagers live in subcultures that don’t value human life. As our culture becomes less Christian, people increasingly lose the only solid foundation for a sense of dignity, worth and value. Instead of seeing every person as created in the image of God, many see themselves and others as chance beings in a meaningless universe. To violent teens life of another human being means nothing to them.

The average child sees over
10,000 murders on television before
he graduates from high school.

10. We live in a society where violence has become an accepted part of our entertainment industry and an acceptable way to solve conflicts. What can we say when the average child sees over 10,000 murders on television before he graduates from high school? The accumulation of these television murders, violent films and daily reporting of death leave their impact. We become accustomed to violent death. For troubled teenagers who are prone to violence, this deadening of caring removes one of the last barriers to carrying out their vengeful fantasies. In fact, rage music and murderous films can also give disturbed minds permission to kill and ideas of how to do it.

Preventing Teenage Violence

The next question we ask is, "What can concerned parents, teachers and other citizens do?

Copyright © 2001 by Bruce Narramore

Back to Page One


2. To Find and Know God and Be Sure You're a Real Christian click on: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

3. To SUBSCRIBE toDaily Encounter click on: www.actsweb.org/subscribe.php

4. For more about Daily Encounter click on: www.actsweb.org/daily_encounter.php

5. All articles on the ACTS International website are by Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise noted.

All pages in this site © Copyright 1990-2024 by ACTS International
P.O. Box 73545, San Clemente, California U.S.A. 92673