Faith in America
Dr. Richard Land, of the Southern Baptist Convention, from How religion defines America:
Dr. Richard Land, of the Southern Baptist Convention, from How religion defines America:
- "According to an ICM poll in January 2004, Americans believe in the supernatural (91%), an afterlife (74%), 'belief in a God/higher power makes you a better human being' (82%), God or a higher power judged their actions (76%), and perhaps most tellingly 'would die for their God/beliefs' (71%).
"In 1880 Dostoyevsky wrote in The Brothers Karamazov that 'If God does not exist, then everything is permissible.'
"The history of his native Russia, wracked by the atrocities of atheistic communism for most of the 20th century, serves as a most graphic example of the truth of his conclusion.
"Nazism, above all detested religion because it called for allegiance to something greater than the state, namely God.
"When 71% of Americans say they would die for their faith, they are pledging allegiance to a loyalty beyond their loyalty to their country and are saying the exact polar opposite of 'my country, right or wrong.
"It is very important at this point to make a critical distinction: to be willing to die for one's faith is utterly different than to kill for it."
Redeemed by Our Savior, I work out my salvation with fear and trembling in Pohang, South Korea, where I live with my wife, daughter, and son and teach English at a science and technology university. Baptized a Methodist and raised a Missouri Synod Lutheran in Buffalo, NY, I spent six years as a guest of the Anglican Communion before being received by the Grace of God into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church on the Feast of Saint Andrew, my patron, anno domini 2002.
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