Guest guest Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 An excerpt from a great article in the current (August 2005) issue of Harpers. On newstands now, folks. Get 'em while they're hot! THE CHRISTIAN PARADOX: HOW A FAITHFUL NATION GETS JESUS WRONG Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may be further evidence of our nation's educational decline, but it probably doesn't matter all that much in spiritual or political terms. Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help themselves." That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin's wisdom not biblical; it's counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans—most American Christians—are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly up. Asking Christians what Christ taught isn't a trick. When we say we are a Christian nation—and, overwhelmingly, we do—it means something. People who go to church absorb lessons there and make real decisions based on those lessons; increasingly, these lessons inform their politics. (One poll found that 11 percent of U.S. churchgoers were urged by their clergy to vote in a particular way in the 2004 election, up from 6 percent in 2000.) When George Bush says that Jesus Christ is his favorite philosopher, he may or may not be sincere, but he is reflecting the sincere beliefs of the vast majority of Americans. And therein is the paradox. America is simultaneously the most professedly Christian of the developed nations and the least Christian in its behavior. That paradox—more important, perhaps, than the much touted ability of French women to stay thin on a diet of chocolate and cheese—illuminates the hollow at the core of our boastful, careening culture. * * * Ours is among the most spiritually homogenous rich nations on earth. Depending on which poll you look at and how the question is asked, somewhere around 85 percent of us call ourselves Christian. Israel, by way of comparison, is 77 percent Jewish. It is true that a smaller number of Americans—about 75 percent—claim they actually pray to God on a daily basis, and only 33 percent say they manage to get to church every week. Still, even if that 85 percent overstates actual practice, it clearly represents aspiration. In fact, there is nothing else that unites more than four fifths of America. Every other statistic one can cite about American behavior is essentially also a measure of the behavior of professed Christians. That's what America is: a place saturated in Christian identity. But is it Christian? This is not a matter of angels dancing on the heads of pins. Christ was pretty specific about what he had in mind for his followers. What if we chose some simple criterion—say, giving aid to the poorest people—as a reasonable proxy for Christian behavior? After all, in the days before his crucifixion, when Jesus summed up his message for his disciples, he said the way you could tell the righteous from the damned was by whether they'd fed the hungry, slaked the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcomed the stranger, and visited the prisoner. What would we find then? In 2004, as a share of our economy, we ranked second to last, after Italy, among developed countries in government foreign aid. Per capita we each provide fifteen cents a day in official development assistance to poor countries. And it's not because we were giving to private charities for relief work instead. Such funding increases our average daily donation by just six pennies, to twenty-one cents. It's also not because Americans were too busy taking care of their own; nearly 18 percent of American children lived in poverty (compared with, say, 8 percent in Sweden). In fact, by pretty much any measure of caring for the least among us you want to propose— childhood nutrition, infant mortality, access to preschool—we come in nearly last among the rich nations, and often by a wide margin. The point is not just that (as everyone already knows) the American nation trails badly in all these categories; it's that the overwhelmingly Christian American nation trails badly in all these categories, categories to which Jesus paid particular attention. And it's not as if the numbers are getting better: the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last year that the number of households that were "food insecure with hunger" had climbed more than 26 percent between 1999 and 2003. This Christian nation also tends to make personal, as opposed to political, choices that the Bible would seem to frown upon. Despite the Sixth Commandment, we are, of course, the most violent rich nation on earth, with a murder rate four or five times that of our European peers. We have prison populations greater by a factor of six or seven than other rich nations (which at least should give us plenty of opportunity for visiting the prisoners). Having been told to turn the other cheek, we're the only Western democracy left that executes its citizens, mostly in those states where Christianity is theoretically strongest. Despite Jesus' strong declarations against divorce, our marriages break up at a rate—just over half—that compares poorly with the European Union's average of about four in ten. That average may be held down by the fact that Europeans marry less frequently, and by countries, like Italy, where divorce is difficult; still, compare our success with, say, that of the godless Dutch, whose divorce rate is just over 37 percent. Teenage pregnancy? We're at the top of the charts. Personal self-discipline— like, say, keeping your weight under control? Buying on credit? Running government deficits? Do you need to ask? * * * (To read the rest, pick up the August 2005 issue of Harpers Magazine) Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005. What it means to be Christian in America. An excerpt. Originally from August 2005. By Bill McKibben. Permanent URL http://harpers.org/ExcerptTheChristianParadox.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Hi DB: Thanks for sharing. Drat my not being French - I didn't know about that advantage of French women! The thing about the Bible is that the Old Testament is NOT in keeping with Jesus' teachings. The bumper sticker "Do unto others, then split!" comes to mind, which is, of course, a commandment most Americans are familiar with! Mary Ann , "devi_bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > An excerpt from a great article in the current (August 2005) issue > of Harpers. On newstands now, folks. Get 'em while they're hot! > > THE CHRISTIAN PARADOX: HOW A FAITHFUL NATION GETS JESUS WRONG > > Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten > Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of > the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. > This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may > be further evidence of our nation's educational decline, but it > probably doesn't matter all that much in spiritual or political > terms. > > Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans > believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help > themselves." That is, three out of four Americans believe that this > uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current > individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben > Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only > is Franklin's wisdom not biblical; it's counter-biblical. Few ideas > could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons > to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans—most > American Christians—are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American > scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly > up. > > Asking Christians what Christ taught isn't a trick. When we say we > are a Christian nation—and, overwhelmingly, we do—it means > something. People who go to church absorb lessons there and make > real decisions based on those lessons; increasingly, these lessons > inform their politics. (One poll found that 11 percent of U.S. > churchgoers were urged by their clergy to vote in a particular way > in the 2004 election, up from 6 percent in 2000.) When George Bush > says that Jesus Christ is his favorite philosopher, he may or may > not be sincere, but he is reflecting the sincere beliefs of the vast > majority of Americans. > > And therein is the paradox. America is simultaneously the most > professedly Christian of the developed nations and the least > Christian in its behavior. That paradox—more important, perhaps, > than the much touted ability of French women to stay thin on a diet > of chocolate and cheese—illuminates the hollow at the core of our > boastful, careening culture. > > * * * > > Ours is among the most spiritually homogenous rich nations on earth. > Depending on which poll you look at and how the question is asked, > somewhere around 85 percent of us call ourselves Christian. Israel, > by way of comparison, is 77 percent Jewish. It is true that a > smaller number of Americans—about 75 percent—claim they actually > pray to God on a daily basis, and only 33 percent say they manage to > get to church every week. Still, even if that 85 percent overstates > actual practice, it clearly represents aspiration. In fact, there is > nothing else that unites more than four fifths of America. Every > other statistic one can cite about American behavior is essentially > also a measure of the behavior of professed Christians. That's what > America is: a place saturated in Christian identity. > > But is it Christian? This is not a matter of angels dancing on the > heads of pins. Christ was pretty specific about what he had in mind > for his followers. What if we chose some simple criterion—say, > giving aid to the poorest people—as a reasonable proxy for Christian > behavior? After all, in the days before his crucifixion, when Jesus > summed up his message for his disciples, he said the way you could > tell the righteous from the damned was by whether they'd fed the > hungry, slaked the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcomed the > stranger, and visited the prisoner. What would we find then? > > In 2004, as a share of our economy, we ranked second to last, after > Italy, among developed countries in government foreign aid. Per > capita we each provide fifteen cents a day in official development > assistance to poor countries. And it's not because we were giving to > private charities for relief work instead. Such funding increases > our average daily donation by just six pennies, to twenty-one cents. > It's also not because Americans were too busy taking care of their > own; nearly 18 percent of American children lived in poverty > (compared with, say, 8 percent in Sweden). In fact, by pretty much > any measure of caring for the least among us you want to propose— > childhood nutrition, infant mortality, access to preschool—we come > in nearly last among the rich nations, and often by a wide margin. > The point is not just that (as everyone already knows) the American > nation trails badly in all these categories; it's that the > overwhelmingly Christian American nation trails badly in all these > categories, categories to which Jesus paid particular attention. And > it's not as if the numbers are getting better: the U.S. Department > of Agriculture reported last year that the number of households that > were "food insecure with hunger" had climbed more than 26 percent > between 1999 and 2003. > > This Christian nation also tends to make personal, as opposed to > political, choices that the Bible would seem to frown upon. Despite > the Sixth Commandment, we are, of course, the most violent rich > nation on earth, with a murder rate four or five times that of our > European peers. We have prison populations greater by a factor of > six or seven than other rich nations (which at least should give us > plenty of opportunity for visiting the prisoners). Having been told > to turn the other cheek, we're the only Western democracy left that > executes its citizens, mostly in those states where Christianity is > theoretically strongest. Despite Jesus' strong declarations against > divorce, our marriages break up at a rate—just over half—that > compares poorly with the European Union's average of about four in > ten. That average may be held down by the fact that Europeans marry > less frequently, and by countries, like Italy, where divorce is > difficult; still, compare our success with, say, that of the godless > Dutch, whose divorce rate is just over 37 percent. Teenage > pregnancy? We're at the top of the charts. Personal self-discipline— > like, say, keeping your weight under control? Buying on credit? > Running government deficits? Do you need to ask? > > * * * > > (To read the rest, pick up the August 2005 issue of Harpers Magazine) > > Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005. What it means to be Christian in > America. An excerpt. Originally from August 2005. By Bill McKibben. > > Permanent URL > http://harpers.org/ExcerptTheChristianParadox.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 12, 2005 Report Share Posted August 12, 2005 Dear Mary Anne and Devi Bakti, In most primary Christian counties the Old Testament is representative of their laws. It is not profitable for commercial interests to allow their people to understand the law. If their people understood the wisdom within the laws, what reason would there be for solicitors, a person would no longer belong to the constabulary thus become free of them! They would have the back bone, the knowledge of good and bad and be able to stand upright with pride of knowing the reason of there existence, therefore have the ability to stand their ground within the knowledge and reason that has been taken from the scriptures and codified within the laws. The wisdom that has been past down through the scripture's is not encouraged to be known else, we would not still be living in Babylonian culture's. Christ condensed the laws by teaching only one commandment - Swami Satyananda Saraswati in regards to the Yamas has said “master one and you will master them all.” This I believe allows the Bakti who has in becoming the Ghani to see beyond the illusion. John Mathieson (Sw Jaganatha) > Mary Ann <buttercookie61 wrote: > > Hi DB: > > Thanks for sharing. Drat my not being French - I didn't know about > that advantage of French women! The thing about the Bible is that the > Old Testament is NOT in keeping with Jesus' teachings. The bumper > sticker "Do unto others, then split!" comes to mind, which is, of > course, a commandment most Americans are familiar with! > > Mary Ann > > , "devi_bhakta" > <devi_bhakta> wrote: > > An excerpt from a great article in the current (August 2005) issue > > of Harpers. On newstands now, folks. Get 'em while they're hot! > > > > THE CHRISTIAN PARADOX: HOW A FAITHFUL NATION GETS JESUS WRONG > > > > Only 40 percent of Americans can name more than four of the Ten > > Commandments, and a scant half can cite any of the four authors of > > the Gospels. Twelve percent believe Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. > > This failure to recall the specifics of our Christian heritage may > > be further evidence of our nation's educational decline, but it > > probably doesn't matter all that much in spiritual or political > > terms. > > > > Here is a statistic that does matter: Three quarters of Americans > > believe the Bible teaches that "God helps those who help > > themselves." That is, three out of four Americans believe that this > > uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current > > individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by > Ben > > Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not > only > > is Franklin's wisdom not biblical; it's counter-biblical. Few ideas > > could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons > > to love of neighbor. On this essential matter, most Americans—most > > American Christians—are simply wrong, as if 75 percent of American > > scientists believed that Newton proved gravity causes apples to fly > > up. > > > > Asking Christians what Christ taught isn't a trick. When we say we > > are a Christian nation—and, overwhelmingly, we do—it means > > something. People who go to church absorb lessons there and make > > real decisions based on those lessons; increasingly, these lessons > > inform their politics. (One poll found that 11 percent of U.S. > > churchgoers were urged by their clergy to vote in a particular way > > in the 2004 election, up from 6 percent in 2000.) When George Bush > > says that Jesus Christ is his favorite philosopher, he may or may > > not be sincere, but he is reflecting the sincere beliefs of the > vast > > majority of Americans. > > > > And therein is the paradox. America is simultaneously the most > > professedly Christian of the developed nations and the least > > Christian in its behavior. That paradox—more important, perhaps, > > than the much touted ability of French women to stay thin on a diet > > of chocolate and cheese—illuminates the hollow at the core of our > > boastful, careening culture. > > > > * * * > > > > Ours is among the most spiritually homogenous rich nations on > earth. > > Depending on which poll you look at and how the question is asked, > > somewhere around 85 percent of us call ourselves Christian. Israel, > > by way of comparison, is 77 percent Jewish. It is true that a > > smaller number of Americans—about 75 percent—claim they actually > > pray to God on a daily basis, and only 33 percent say they manage > to > > get to church every week. Still, even if that 85 percent overstates > > actual practice, it clearly represents aspiration. In fact, there > is > > nothing else that unites more than four fifths of America. Every > > other statistic one can cite about American behavior is essentially > > also a measure of the behavior of professed Christians. That's what > > America is: a place saturated in Christian identity. > > > > But is it Christian? This is not a matter of angels dancing on the > > heads of pins. Christ was pretty specific about what he had in mind > > for his followers. What if we chose some simple criterion—say, > > giving aid to the poorest people—as a reasonable proxy for > Christian > > behavior? After all, in the days before his crucifixion, when Jesus > > summed up his message for his disciples, he said the way you could > > tell the righteous from the damned was by whether they'd fed the > > hungry, slaked the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcomed the > > stranger, and visited the prisoner. What would we find then? > > > > In 2004, as a share of our economy, we ranked second to last, after > > Italy, among developed countries in government foreign aid. Per > > capita we each provide fifteen cents a day in official development > > assistance to poor countries. And it's not because we were giving > to > > private charities for relief work instead. Such funding increases > > our average daily donation by just six pennies, to twenty-one > cents. > > It's also not because Americans were too busy taking care of their > > own; nearly 18 percent of American children lived in poverty > > (compared with, say, 8 percent in Sweden). In fact, by pretty much > > any measure of caring for the least among us you want to propose— > > childhood nutrition, infant mortality, access to preschool—we come > > in nearly last among the rich nations, and often by a wide margin. > > The point is not just that (as everyone already knows) the American > > nation trails badly in all these categories; it's that the > > overwhelmingly Christian American nation trails badly in all these > > categories, categories to which Jesus paid particular attention. > And > > it's not as if the numbers are getting better: the U.S. Department > > of Agriculture reported last year that the number of households > that > > were "food insecure with hunger" had climbed more than 26 percent > > between 1999 and 2003. > > > > This Christian nation also tends to make personal, as opposed to > > political, choices that the Bible would seem to frown upon. Despite > > the Sixth Commandment, we are, of course, the most violent rich > > nation on earth, with a murder rate four or five times that of our > > European peers. We have prison populations greater by a factor of > > six or seven than other rich nations (which at least should give us > > plenty of opportunity for visiting the prisoners). Having been told > > to turn the other cheek, we're the only Western democracy left that > > executes its citizens, mostly in those states where Christianity is > > theoretically strongest. Despite Jesus' strong declarations against > > divorce, our marriages break up at a rate—just over half—that > > compares poorly with the European Union's average of about four in > > ten. That average may be held down by the fact that Europeans marry > > less frequently, and by countries, like Italy, where divorce is > > difficult; still, compare our success with, say, that of the > godless > > Dutch, whose divorce rate is just over 37 percent. Teenage > > pregnancy? We're at the top of the charts. Personal self-discipline— > > like, say, keeping your weight under control? Buying on credit? > > Running government deficits? Do you need to ask? > > > > * * * > > > > (To read the rest, pick up the August 2005 issue of Harpers > Magazine) > > > > Posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2005. What it means to be Christian > in > > America. An excerpt. Originally from August 2005. By Bill McKibben. > > > > Permanent URL > > http://harpers.org/ExcerptTheChristianParadox.html > Links > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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