Europeans are feeling pretty smug lately, with their sturdy currency, "health care," and rising rates of life expectancy, but there's one area where we kick their ass: American Christians read the bible a lot more often than European Christians do.
According to a new study by the Catholic Biblical Federation, 75% of American Christians have read a phrase from the bible in the last year. This towers over Italy (27%), France (21%) and Spain (20%). And Acts 17:11 clearly states that Bereans are better than Thessalonians because they read the scriptures more, so taste it, Paco.
Yes, when it comes to (self-reported) bible reading, we're #1! We could walk around Europe with our heads held high, if we could afford to go. And weren't afraid that terrorists would kill us. And didn't mind all the spit in the food.
They're just jealous.
Don't you wish you could have been at the Vatican press conference yesterday, when the Federation reported their findings? America wins. Europe loses. We'll now open the floor for weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(In the movies, Vatican press conferences always involve the Book of Revelation, and either follow or precede geysers of blood coming from the last place you'd want one. The shower. The Great Lakes. Patricia Arquette. Why is that?)
Anyway, the results are in. America reads the bible more than Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Italy, Spain, Poland or the Netherlands. 93% of Americans own a bible, which is also first place, in the sort of arbitrary list of white countries the surveyors checked.
We're not bible ignorant. 93% of Americans own one. Three out of four read it, at least once a year, whether they need to or not. So how do we end up with churches with signs in front of them that say things like:
OBAMA, OSAMA
HUMM
ARE THEY BROTHERS?
It must take a little time, not just to think that up, but to physically find all those letters and arrange them in rows. It's not like you're engraving the Book of Kells, but it's still got to eat up a couple of minutes. A period during which you might ask yourself:
If Jesus read this, would he think I'm a creep?
And:
Hey, wait. Do brothers have the same first name, or last name?
Pastor Roger Byrd, of the Jonesville Church of God, Jonesville, South Carolina, says he wasn't out to make a political statement. He was just trying to be provocative, and coming off kind of hateful and not very bright. Not unlike the National Review's Kathryn Jean Lopez.
Here's Byrd:
"It's simply to cause people to realize and to see what possibly could happen if we were to get someone in there that does not believe in Jesus Christ... See, it asks a question: Are they brothers? In other words, is he Muslim? I don't know. He says he's not. I hope he's not. But I don't know. And it's just something to try to stir people's minds. It was never intended to hurt feelings or to offend anybody."
Or endanger the tax-exempt status of my doublewide.
The sign upset a lot of people last week. (Byrd said he wouldn't change it, and then changed it. Flip-flopper.) Barack Obama isn't a Muslim, and he didn't mastermind 9/11. That was Michelle. But I think the outrage missed the point. The problem with the question of whether Obama and Osama are kin isn't that it's viscous and stupid. The problem is that all men are brothers.
It's not that theologically complex. It involves our parents, Adam and Eve.
Oh look, here's Jesus:
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
If you wanted to shorten it, to fit on a sign, you could do it like this:
OBAMA AND OSAMA ARE BROTHERS AND SO ARE YOU, DUMBASS
Or:
EVERYONE IS YOUR BROTHER. REMEMBER THAT OR BURN.
--
The Catholic Biblical Federation (Stuttgart) conducted its survey of 13,000 Christians through GfK Eurisko (Milan), a subsidiary of United Business Media plc (U.K.). Isn't it nice to know the church isn't just throwing its money away on feeding the poor?
--
Kathryn Jean Lopez writes:
"Now, you can certainly criticize George W. Bush for being a little too hopeful... but if you've listened to him in the last week, you've heard a man who simply believes in the promise of America, a promise that would not be possible without a higher calling than politics. He believes we're a City on the Hill, the last best hope, and that morning in America is right around the corner thanks to the work and sacrifices of many patriotic Americans."
That's, uh, very nice, sweetie. Now go to your room. The cats aren't going to marry themselves.
Kathryn Jean Lopez is lucky her parents are Catholic, because if one of my daughters had those kind of brain problems, I'd pull the plug.
--
How can morning be right around the corner? Wouldn't that mean the sun rises from side to side?
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I have no doubt Americans read the Bible.
I have serious questions as to whether it's understood.
Two thirds of Americans can't name the four gospels or find Iraq on a map *with labels.*
A well informed electorate is a necessary precondition for real democracy.
What do we have?
A Republic...idiot.
Didn't Jesus say you are what you do. What is the United States. Delusion and madness rules the United States and we all stand by helpless. I don't know what to do and that's the way they want it. I don't believe in magic. Which makes me a lonely man indeed. Those who would tell you that the United States is a Christian Nation surely have a low opinion of Christianity.
Most excellent sir. Truth be told, nearly all self-proclaimed christians in this country would positively loathe Jesus if they ever met him in person.
In the same way, nearly all self-proclaimed 'patriots' in this country would find every last one of this nation's Founders (as well as every word of their writings) waaaaayyyyy too Liberal and would never elect, nor allow to be elected, a single one of them no matter what.
I love this great land of ours, but too too many of our fellow citizens are essentially incapable of critical thought.
"Truth be told, nearly all self-proclaimed christians in this country would positively loathe Jesus if they ever met him in person."
I have to agree with you 110% on that one. Not many in this country would be willing to leave behind their entire lives to follow him the way he asked his disciples to do. With the general air of selfishness that has pervaded this country, Christ's message of selfless love would be wasted.
Your ability to hit the nail on the head is extraordinary.
I'd add that they have had critical thought conditioned out of them. Not stupid, just uneducated and behaviorally modified.
thanks
Uneducated? Why do you say that? Maybe because our public schools these past 40 years have been ruined by the Teachers Unions? Possibly? Maybe? Think about it won't you?
As a Middle-Easterner Jesus would probably be on the terrorist list.
I do not read the bible and never have. But I try not to cheat, lie and deceive or hurt or murder other people. I also refuse to work for companies who lie, murder, cheat and deceive other people, which makes it difficult for me to exist in this world.
I think that presidents who start wars are murderers. I think that doctors, who work for insurance companies and deny life-saving procedures, are murderers.
I think that mortgage companies, who grant loans out of greed to people, who cannot afford it are thieves. I think that all advertising people are liars and scrupulous. And I think that many pastors are in for the money and certainly not for the betterment of the people.
And Proud2BIndy why are our fellow citizens incapable of critical thinking? Because they are educated by big corporations. We are living in a "Brave' New World" where the media and the advertising industry repeats the same messages over and over and over again until nearly everybody follows their rules.
If you dare to be different, you are an elitist, an outsider or simply crazy.
"I think that mortgage companies, who grant loans out of greed to people, who cannot afford it are thieves."
I think the people that take them are morons, it has nothing to do with the mortgage companies. It's called individual responsibilty.
"I think that presidents who start wars are murderers."
What about the people who attack a nation and kill innocents; they should go un-punished?
What I think is particularly ironic, is that you think this construction is a tautology:
"'I think that presidents who start wars are murderers.'
What about the people who attack a nation and kill innocents; they should go un-punished?"
That you don't understand how fundamentally flawed your argument is, purely on the well supported, well sourced facts, is really very sad for you.
& for America, my lost country.
"OBAMA AND OSAMA ARE BROTHERS AND SO ARE YOU, DUMBASS"
roflmao, thanks Chris, I needed a good laugh this morning...
Hey! Jesus loves us, this we know. For the bible tells us so.
As long as we are #1 in bible ownership, we can bomb the hell out of the rest of the world, start wars for oil, and not provide our citizens with adequate medical coverage.
But we're #1 in bible ownership and the bible says Jesus loves us. It's good to be #1!
Hip, Hip, Hoooooray!
Properly read the bible is the most potent force for atheism ever created.
"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." - the problem is not that Americans read the Bible - its that they don't follow its teachings, you know the parts about love, humanity, peace and caring for your fellow man. The stuff that manly men, like Bush, like to refer to as sissy stuff - you don't have to go to church to be a good person but you do have to work at it all week long - not just for an hour on Sunday.
Oh, you wont go to hell if you don't send money to Pat Robertson and his kind.
"93% of Americans own one. Three out of four read it"
93% of Americans? You only have 7% people of other faiths?
I think I own two bibles, maybe three (if you count the Apocrypha). I am not however a Christian. I also have the Bhagavad-Gita, & al Qur'an yet I am not Hindi or Muslim. Couple of copies of the Tao, OK ya got me ..... I am a Taoist, and about a half a Bhuddist so count my copy of Siddhartha by Hesse. Also got a little Rumi, Sufi et al. Sorry I digress. Just 'cause we have a bible don't mean we are Christers as Harlan Ellison might say. But it is nice to have the other teams play book.
Don't worry, America is just beginning a long decline........
Oh Bushit! America is just beginning a short (ie. fast) decline....... don't blink!
Keep celebrating, Einstein. Who do you think will take our place?
Insects?
That would be Canada. Just pray that they don't build a fence to keep you and your kids out.
If we're a "City on a Hill", as Kathryn Jean Lopez writes, then it's fast becoming a hill of unrecycled garbage over which hot air from global warming and Republican windbags blows.
Obviously Americans don't agree with the Bible even if they read it. Gluttony is a major, unforgivable sin and 70% of Americans are fat. Since fat people lie about what they eat, it is just a short walk to lie about what they read.
I don't believe the "seven deadly sins" are listed in the bible.
The modern concept of the Seven Deadly Sins is linked to the works of the 4th century monk Evagrius Ponticus, who listed eight "evil thoughts" : Gluttony; fornication; avarice; sorrow; anger; discouragement; vainglory; pride.
Unfortunately he didn't see fit to list stupidity.
I eat chicken.
Don't these people know that you're not supposed to actually READ the Bible? You're supposed to use it as a political stick to bash your opponents over the head with.
Thanks for the laugh, Kong. I needed that! LOL
DallasMike said:
It's interesting to see all the people bashing religion and all the "them" and "they" comments and no one bats an eyelash. The left is so hypicritical when it comes to religion. you preach tolerance to people of race and gender but when it comes to people of religion let the intolerance fly.
I am a lefty, but you are right about the intolerance of religion; organized religion. I'm a proud atheist who has read a lot of history. Religion has a lot to answer for.
It is not an issue of intolerance, I believe people should be able to worship as they please. What I do not believe in is tax shelters for churches that inject their religion into politics. If they want to enter the fray fine, pay your taxes, if not stay out of it! With the freedom to voice your opinion and use your organization to promote a political agenda comes the pleasure of paying your fair share. You cannot have it both ways I am all for religions espousing their hate openly so everyone can see them for what they are but you should not get a free ride. If this seems offensive and intolerant, sorry about that but if the shoe fits wear it, there are many churches that stay within the boundaries of what a tax exempt religious organization is supposed to, it should not be a choice of convenience rather it should follow the law.
I very much agree with tolate2. If the Catholic church wishes to deny communion to Rudy Giuliani or John Kerry over their stance on abortion - they should do so privately. To make such a thing public can have only one purpose: to use the Holy Communion to extort someone to toe the party line.
Alas, the United States, being a fear-based society, has fear-based beliefs.
Many Europeans first came to these shores, to have "freedom" of religion and conscience - but they feared the original inhabitants and others that did not think as they did.
Fear is an integral component of Christianity in the United States: that gay or lesbian person is after your children, that woman won't stay in her place at home; she's taking your rightful job, sir; that Asian/Latino/Black/insert-name-of-ethnic/racial group here are just taking your hard-earned tax dollars and getting free handouts.
And so on.
I do believe in God, and I do read Scripture; I have a Master's degree in Theology (Loyola Marymount), and I work as a Database Adminstrator. My belief in God is based upon a design argument; the Earth is in the precise zone from the Sun, with a large Moon in tidal lock; plate tectonics and internal radiation allow for the retention of liquid water and an atmosphere, and a large Jupiter sweeps most extinction-level bodies away from the Earth - I don't believe all of this is sheer coincidence, just like I don't think glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase just got here all by itself.
I also have no problem with an N-dimensional, eternal, omniscient Being taking 12-15 billion years to create the Universe and humankind through evolutionary processes. The more science I learn, the more I appreciate God and Creation
I have only one small comment. The few [not many] Europeans who came to our shores were either war mongers/profiteers/slavers followed by the Christers/pilgrims who were so uptight that the British thought they were too tightly wound to stay. The British!
That is some uptight pilgrims.
I applaud your thoughtfulness regarding your concept of creation. However, you must admit, most American Christians do not think as you do. They take a far far simpler view. And a good number of these people make efforts to attack those who do not share their simple concept of creation based on a literal interpretation of the Bible.
I hear people talking alot about American Christians being intolerant. I have to disagree. It sounds to me as if most of you are intolerant of THEIR beliefs. Think about it.
If ten million lottery tickets are purchased, is it sheer coincidence that one person 'just happened' to pick the winning numbers?
Well, in fact, it is.
Just as it is sheer coincidence that this solar system had the elements to develop life as we know it.
Nicely stated. But...it simply means that the only thing we can say for sure is that statistically there is a good chance that these factors would have happened someplace by pure coincidence (given all the stars in the universe).
But we cannot rule out that some Intention deliberately arranged them either, although there is no evidence of such intervention.
Certainty is impossible at this point.
Guess that makes me agnostic...
And whichever way you believe, if it hadn't happened, I guess there would be no discussion, would there? Taoism is truly 'The Way'.
THE AMERICAN RELIGION; Harold Bloom ( 1993 )
Chapter 2, page 45
"President George Bush, whatever other eminence awaits him, is already bound to be memorable as
the American leader most deeply attached to linked emblems of our national religion: the flag and the
fetus, our Cross and our Devine Child. The flag and the fetus together symbolize the American Religion
the partly concealed
Posted April 29, 2008 | 03:30 PM (EST)