# Christianity will solve community and societal problems **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810 "2005-11-06T19:49:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/21 "2005-11-07T07:33:37Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > Well, as in converted to the religion, believe in it and practice it. If by “practice” you mean “showing up at church on Sunday,” then no. It would not cure social ills. (except on Sunday during the hours while people were at church. And even there’s a lot of social ills that can be done in the narthex or parking lot). Most Christians I know do not think it would. If by “practice” you mean behaving in the way Christ taught people to behave in the Sermon on the Mount (e.g., being merciful, being peacemakers, doing good works to glorify God, respecting others so much that you would never even call them a bad name, much less physically harm them, forgiving others, keeping your word at all times, treating others as you would have them treat you, loving your enemies, not being concerned with physical possession, &etc.) Yes, if everyone did all of those things - then, I do believe that many social ills would be gone. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/22 "2005-11-07T11:46:22Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > (well done missionaries?!). Assuredly. Too many pathogens and parasites to dish 'em up rare. Also they’re generally on the elderly side and need a nice slow cook to render the connective tissue. The stewpot meme is there for a reason; only an idiot would slap a slice of missionary on a griddle for five minutes and expect the result to be edible, let alone healthy eating. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/23 "2005-11-07T19:35:46Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Assuredly. Too many pathogens and parasites to dish 'em up rare. Also they’re generally on the elderly side and need a nice slow cook to render the connective tissue. The stewpot meme is there for a reason; only an idiot would slap a slice of missionary on a griddle for five minutes and expect the result to be edible, let alone healthy eating. > 😃 ha ha - actually I believe most missionaries are quite young these days, I used to know some when I lived in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/24 "2005-11-08T00:51:12Z")
I would say that the principle that all Christians are sinners is an article of faith in most Christian churches. _Simul justis et peccator_ and all that. If everyone was Christian, they would still be sinners, and thus we would still have sin. For all our problems to be solved, we would need never to sin or have sinned, and then there would be no need for Christ to come to save us. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/25 "2005-11-08T01:50:45Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Assuredly. Too many pathogens and parasites to dish 'em up rare. Also they’re generally on the elderly side and need a nice slow cook to render the connective tissue. The stewpot meme is there for a reason; only an idiot would slap a slice of missionary on a griddle for five minutes and expect the result to be edible, let alone healthy eating. > 😃 You’re only saying that to put a scare in Weston, right? :eek: Can you guess what I recently re-read? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/26 "2005-11-08T10:11:14Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > You’re only saying that to put a scare in Weston, right? :eek: > > Can you guess what I recently re-read? Ah, he neither scares easily nor is a missionary. 🆒 Good for you… I can narrow it down to two guesses. ---
**Author:** ![PhilipM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@PhilipM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilipM)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/27 "2005-11-09T13:46:10Z")
As the religiosity of a country increases so does its instance of: Gonorrhea Syphilis Child Mortality Teen pregnancy Abortion Murder Suicide Read this paper: [http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/pdf/2005-11.pdf](http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/pdf/2005-11.pdf) While it isn’t saying that there is a causal relationship, it is obviously significant. Wonder why this got more press on the other side of the pond than here… oh right-- it’s about selling papers, not loosing subscriptions to believers who would rather deny facts than embrace them. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/28 "2005-11-09T14:00:24Z")
> [@PhilipM](#): > > As the religiosity of a country increases so does its instance of: > > Gonorrhea > Syphilis > Child Mortality > Teen pregnancy > Abortion > Murder > Suicide This is interesting, as I was under the fond impression that in the UK at this very moment, religiosity is steadily diminishing while most of the above are going through the roof. > [@PhilipM](#): > > Read this paper: > > [http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/pdf/2005-11.pdf](http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/pdf/2005-11.pdf) > > While it isn’t saying that there is a causal relationship, it is obviously significant. Wonder why this got more press on the other side of the pond than here… oh right-- it’s about selling papers, not loosing subscriptions to believers who would rather deny facts than embrace them. This, on the other hand, is name-calling pure and simple. Btw, it’s “losing”. You “loose” an arrow, not a subscription. ---
**Author:** ![PhilipM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@PhilipM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilipM)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/29 "2005-11-09T15:28:28Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > This is interesting, as I was under the fond impression that in the UK at this very moment, religiosity is steadily diminishing while most of the above are going through the roof. While this a bit odd: More Britons believe in ghosts than in God [http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/1031ghosts31-ON.html](http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/1031ghosts31-ON.html) It does further support a decline in belief among younger people. As to your impressions, it is likely that GB is going through a similar issue with the US in that the reporting of crime has increased a great deal, while crime itself has been on the decline for quite some time. It makes for much more interesting news hours. > [@](#): > > This, on the other hand, is name-calling pure and simple. Btw, it’s “losing”. You “loose” an arrow, not a subscription. Name calling? Okay-- but run an article on that info in the ‘American Conservative’ and I would wager they get a bunch of letters to the editor and lose subscriptions. Sorry about the spelling-- I’ll try to get with the program, er… programme. ---
**Author:** ![PhilipM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@PhilipM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilipM)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/30 "2005-11-09T15:41:36Z")
Not trying to thread-jack, but while thinking of polls for Briton’s, I have to post this one as well. Britons think French deserve their ‘negative stereotype’ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051031/od\_afp/britainfrancesocial\_051031174538;\_ylt=Al6bdjQcgkRAC95PPcYsq6is0NUE;\_ylu=X3oDMTA3NW1oMDRpBHNlYwM3NTc-](http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051031/od_afp/britainfrancesocial_051031174538;_ylt=Al6bdjQcgkRAC95PPcYsq6is0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3NW1oMDRpBHNlYwM3NTc-) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/31 "2005-11-09T16:21:01Z")
> [@PhilipM](#): > > While this a bit odd: > More Britons believe in ghosts than in God > [Help Center - The Arizona Republic](http://www.azcentral.com/offbeat/articles/1031ghosts31-ON.html) > > It does further support a decline in belief among younger people. Eh. When a nation ceases to believe in God, it doesn’t believe in nothing; it believes in anything. Someone else can Google the author of that _bon mot_ > [@PhilipM](#): > > Sorry about the spelling-- I’ll try to get with the program, er… programme. Ah, this isn’t one of those “nations divided by a common language” issues; the “loose”/“lose” dichotomy is the same both here and there. Incidentally, in my line of business I get to use “program” as well as “programme”; “a bunch of computer code” versus “thing on the TV; little booklet at the theatre; series of steps to be taken in pursuit of some objective”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/32 "2005-11-09T19:33:12Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > If by “practice” you mean “showing up at church on Sunday,” then no. It would not cure social ills. (except on Sunday during the hours while people were at church. And even there’s a lot of social ills that can be done in the narthex or parking lot). Most Christians I know do not think it would. > > If by “practice” you mean behaving in the way Christ taught people to behave in the Sermon on the Mount (e.g., being merciful, being peacemakers, doing good works to glorify God, respecting others so much that you would never even call them a bad name, much less physically harm them, forgiving others, keeping your word at all times, treating others as you would have them treat you, loving your enemies, not being concerned with physical possession, &etc.) Yes, if everyone did all of those things - then, I do believe that many social ills would be gone. See…that’s the trouble with religion. There are so many personal reads on it that it makes it impossible for an outsider to be able to tell what any of you are talking about!!! ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/33 "2005-11-09T19:38:48Z")
> [@PhilipM](#): > > As the religiosity of a country increases so does its instance of: > > Gonorrhea > Syphilis > Child Mortality > Teen pregnancy > Abortion > Murder > Suicide > > Read this paper: > > [http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/pdf/2005-11.pdf](http://moses.creighton.edu/JRS/pdf/2005-11.pdf) > > While it isn’t saying that there is a causal relationship, it is obviously significant. Wonder why this got more press on the other side of the pond than here… oh right-- it’s about selling papers, not loosing subscriptions to believers who would rather deny facts than embrace them. In NZ we have one of the highest rates of STDs in the developed world and yet are not very religious. ---
**Author:** ![PhilipM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@PhilipM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilipM)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/34 "2005-11-09T20:15:08Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > In NZ we have one of the highest rates of STDs in the developed world and yet are not very religious. Another reason I want to emmigrate to NZ. Loose women. 🙂 Seriously though, I think that NZ is a bit odd statistically, having a population of ~3million(?) with just one city accounting for a third of the population. Average age is fairly young (must be the bungee jumpers offing themselves before they hit 50 :dubious: ). Tourism industry makes up a huge percentage of national income (esp. post LOTR). There are issues with the high number of Maori poor, high cost of manufactured goods, etc. It all adds up to some odd stats. I wonder what the STD rates among Maori Christians vs. non-Christians would look like? ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/35 "2005-11-09T21:51:30Z")
> [@PhilipM](#): > > Another reason I want to emmigrate to NZ. Loose women. 🙂 > > Seriously though, I think that NZ is a bit odd statistically, having a population of ~3million(?) with just one city accounting for a third of the population. Average age is fairly young (must be the bungee jumpers offing themselves before they hit 50 :dubious: ). Tourism industry makes up a huge percentage of national income (esp. post LOTR). There are issues with the high number of Maori poor, high cost of manufactured goods, etc. It all adds up to some odd stats. > > I wonder what the STD rates among Maori Christians vs. non-Christians would look like? Hey, are you saying we’re odd!! Just cut it out and our population is now over 4million I’ll have you know. Statistics are done per capita, so why should that make them odd?! Tourism comes second to our diary and meat industry. I forgot to add that we have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies too! Whilst Maori make a disproportionate number of poor stats, it is Pacific Islanders as well and as in my OP, they are avid Christians. They also make up the teenage pregnancies and STD rates! ---
**Author:** ![PhilipM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@PhilipM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilipM)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/36 "2005-11-09T23:40:24Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > Hey, are you saying we’re odd!! Yes, but that is a good thing! > [@MelCthefirst](#): > > Just cut it out and our population is now over 4million I’ll have you know. > Statistics are done per capita, so why should that make them odd?! Okay, strictly opinion, but to me, there is Auckland, Wellington, and New Zealand. The rest of the country is so completely different than the 2-3 large cities that are contained in it. > [@MelCthefirst](#): > > Tourism comes second to our diary and meat industry. I really wish that alcohol was higher on that list… I miss DB Draught and Speights, but many of the wines are fairly readily available here. I can’t even get Steinlager. ☹ > [@MelCthefirst](#): > > I forgot to add that we have one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies too! > Whilst Maori make a disproportionate number of poor stats, it is Pacific Islanders as well and as in my OP, they are avid Christians. They also make up the teenage pregnancies and STD rates! You are spot on. This is another reason why comparing NZ to any other country is difficult. Outside of a handfull of cities in the US, one would be hard pressed to find the diversity of culture that you can find in the major cities of NZ. Throw in the disproportionate numbers of poor and the significant distances to other major cities (Sydney), population density, and it makes this island country much harder to compare to any other Western country. I love NZ. I would give my right nut to move there. ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/37 "2005-11-10T00:33:31Z")
> [@PhilipM](#): > > Okay, strictly opinion, but to me, there is Auckland, Wellington, and New Zealand. The rest of the country is so completely different than the 2-3 large cities that are contained in it. What are you talking about? You could say the same for most States! 4million is not opinion either. BTW I’m in the market for a husband! ---
**Author:** ![PhilipM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@PhilipM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhilipM)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/38 "2005-11-10T00:59:45Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > What are you talking about? > You could say the same for most States! > 4million is not opinion either. Agreed, but most states are not 1300 miles from a bordering state. > [@MelCthefirst](#): > > BTW I’m in the market for a husband! DAMN THESE POLYGAMY LAWS! 😃 I’m already taken. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/39 "2005-11-10T01:11:18Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I would say that the principle that all Christians are sinners is an article of faith in most Christian churches. _Simul justis et peccator_ and all that. > > If everyone was Christian, they would still be sinners, and thus we would still have sin. For all our problems to be solved, we would need never to sin or have sinned, and then there would be no need for Christ to come to save us. Or as somebody once said, it’s only the people that are sick that need a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810/40 "2005-11-10T03:03:51Z")
> [@MelCthefirst](#): > > So, hyperthetically, does the average christian believe that even if everyone was converted, there would still be murder, crime etc.? I think there would still be crime. Being Christian does not mean that you will bever commit any more sins. It just means that your sins are forgiven. Also, some of the most horrible crimes ever comitted have been perpertrated by those who consider themselves to be doing God’s work, whether they be Christian, Muslim, Hindu or whatever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christianity-will-solve-community-and-societal-problems/329810.md?page=3)