Now if you want to use statistics, it is well known that the percentage of all atheists that commit crimes is lower than the percentage of all Christians that commit crimes. Can I say that atheism leads to more proper behavior? Absolutely not!! That statistic alone doesn't take into account a myriad of other possible influences on the behavior of the people in the study.
Hi, would you give details of this study please Linear? This does not correspond with the reality within my own country.
Consider the work of pastors and laypeople often volunteering to preach the word of God to prisoners and hopefully get them saved and change their lives and gain some meaning/hope. In fact, this is a ministry. So if what you say is true, why then for the call for such a ministry if more Christians committed crimes than atheists?
Secondly. If a person truly took onboard Christ, they would not be out there committing crimes and outdoing the atheists and any fall from grace is regretted and repented by such - if in fact they are sincere. So the word "Christian" can be thrown around by anybody, but may not mean they are sincere. There are many practical atheists around who toss around "yeah I'm a Christian" whilst they live completely contrary to Christ.
And we all know some pose as "redeemed" to fool others too. A well known trick. But let us not confuse sincere Christianity with the greater committing of crimes. This is dishonest.
What's in a name, unless the word is written in our hearts? So in other words, it's just people committing crimes because in one way or another, they are living outside of the word of God.
Again, please provide the studies that support your claims, since the teachings of Christ are completely contrary to crime and preach the opposite. There are the true Christians, who far from committing crimes, devote their life teaching the ways of Christ, hoping to turn such criminals away from sin and to the light of Christ.
If I became an atheist, according to this study you speak of, would I suddenly be less criminally inclined? Would an atheist who commits their life to Christ become suddenly criminally inclined? This is ludicrous. I, like anybody, have weaknesses and inclinations and often it is God that sets me straight, gives me strength and a moral compass and causes me to consider more deeply and seriously sin, the impact of it, and upon others - keeps me much more aware of the temporary and the eternal and how my behaviour affects others (my own sins). Without Him? Hmmmmm, I was spiritually blind.
Whatever studies these are - if in fact legitimate? Would still be bogus in respect of describing a sincere Christian walking with Christ. So again, they would continue to be meaningless - since Christians in name, walking in practical atheism do not count as a true depiction of Christianity and the teachings of Christ in no way endorse, support or encourage criminal behaviour, but instead give one many more means and reasons to turn from such.
