Atheists Understand Christianity Better Than Most Christians

From Crosswalk Religious News Summary:

A new Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey shows that if atheists and agnostics know Christian doctrine better than many Christians, according to the Los Angeles Times. For instance, four in 10 Catholics incorrectly described the bread and wine in Holy Communion as only a symbol of the body and blood of Christ, while atheists were more likely to say the elements become actual body and blood. The reason for this surprise finding may be that atheists and agnostics "are people who thought a lot about religion," said Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at the Pew Forum. "They're not indifferent. They care about it." Stephen Prothero, a professor of religion at Boston University, added, "I think in general the survey confirms what I argued in the book, which is that we know almost nothing about our own religions and even less about the religions of other people," he said.

NY Hero Left To Die

AOL news reports that a homeless man stops a man wielding a knife from harming a woman, but he is harmed in the process. The woman runs away, and the homeless man, Tale-Yax, collapses on the sidewalk. Over a period of twenty minutes, a number of people see Tale-Yax, face down on the sidewalk, injured, but do nothing. A couple even stand and stare at him for a minute. Finally, someone calls 911 and firefighters come to help him.

Why was this man ignored? He deserved better, after delivering this unknown woman from harm.

I don't know what people were thinking, but I can guess. "Here's another homeless bum passed out on the sidewalk." Even though he is showing blood, what does that matter? Some people might even be thinking that they are doing him a favor by ignoring him, letting him remain passed out on the sidewalk.

But the main thought would be: "It's none of my business."

We are trained to ignore the homeless, even if they don't look in the best of shape. In New York City, the homeless are treated with such disdain by the police and city officials that they have become non-citizens, less than human. People who should be given no more thought than an animal.



God help us if we act toward anyone this way. No matter who they are, even our worst enemy, in Jesus we should help those who are injured. We should love those in need. I pray that our churches would learn justice, so that society at large would be ashamed at their treatment of the outcast.