Who cares about my opinion? Glad to have somewhere semi-public to reflect on the sewer-rat-like behaviour of 'youths' in my home-town (Manchester) last night. All of these youngsters could quite readily have been abortion statistics in the 80's and early 90's. Instead they were doted on, more or less, by one or more parent(s). They never went hungry or thirsty. They all were bought clothes and shoes when they needed them. How much of their progress in life so far has been subsidised by British tax-payers (of which, in many case, they are not included in the number - nor, in all likelihood ever will be). How many hours have they spent in a school classroom being 'socialised' so that they can effectively identify with their peers - and successfully hunt in a pack when necessary? Who washes their clothes ? (not likely to be the young men themselves) or makes their beds? or cooks their food? What on EARTH is the parent (or are the parents) doing while their young men are not in the house or tucked up in bed as they probably ought to be at midnight and later?

Why do the bleeding-heart liberals put it down to 'lack of opportunity' and 'lack of respect on the part of the police'? Why are the youth so dis-empowered to think logically that they begin to be brainwashed into believing that this is the root of the problem. As one of my sons pointed out it might be that the Bishop of Manchester was only selectively quoted but to obliquely call for 'justice' to be done without making it plain that even in the shadowy back-streets of Manchester the Lord SEES and will bring about justice, is a major dereliction of duty in one who is called upon to declare the Truth of God. Who is going to tell these poor young men, before it is too late, that the Lord has set a day when He will judge the world by the Man He has appointed? Who will tell them that, despite their focus on 'victory' over 'the rich' and 'the police' and their latent acquisitiveness which leads them to financially ruin others by means of whose tax-money they have been kept through life so far, it is appointed to man once to die and after that the judgement?

Praise God there is always hope but it is by means of repentance. Let those of us who are parents re-evaluate how much we are indulging our own children enabling them to behave and act as though they were on this earth to please themselves rather than to actively, moment-by-moment, Glorify God. Seeing the disasterous way in which many Christian parents behave no differently in this than the parents of those street-youths makes me shiver in my shoes. The future for the church is no different than the future of the society - general breakdown of family and alienation of youngsters. If we don't help our children to stop considering primarily their desires, their wants, their needs, their choices and help them to grow up they will be no use to anyone - least of all to their Maker. Let us, too, remind ourselves that the Lord sees our own selfish-motivations (making our children 'happy' gives us good feedback in the short-term) and plead with Him to enlighten and empower us to raise children who have a heart for the Lord.

Pray that the Lord will strengthen your family and if you want a good book to help you to recognise the pernicious evil of 'socialisation' and effects of peer-pressure (in church or out of it) check out Gordon Neufeld's book 'Hold on to your Kids' on Amazon.co.uk