I find it depressing that the United States, perhaps the most Christian population in the world, has such high rates of murder and violence, imprisonment, execution, divorce, desertion of children, and social hatred. Reminds me of H. L. Mencken's great statement about Mozart: "He sweated beauty like a Christian sweats hate!" Is there actually something in Christians that makes them murder each other? If atheists were better labeled, maybe with a black bull's eye, do you suppose Christians would murder more atheists? Many Christians are labeled with a cross, but that doesn't seem to help them very much.
I think it would be very interesting to study the religious status and ideas of murderers, maybe right before they are executed. or, better, over time. There are a couple of new books that study the causes of violence - Rhodes, Why they Kill, and Beck, Prisoners of Hate. Panned in Fortune. Might be pretty good. |
