Those Church People Aren't So Bad, Part 2

Our culture tends to bash Christians, churches and "the Christian Right." We are frequently depicted as judgmental, harsh, angry, not very compassionate, and opposed to progress. But as I indicated last week, no one does feature stories or news segments on Christians sending teams and funds to areas devastated by floods, earthquakes and typhoons. Things like that aren't newsworthy because they are so commonplace. Christians do those kinds of things all the time!

But here's another bit of news you ought to know. Not only are followers of Jesus Christ more responsive to tragic emergencies, but we routinely give more than unbelievers to all charitable causes. In researching his book Who Really Cares, Arthur C. Brooks expected to find that political conservatives are more likely to give to charity than political liberals. But his findings surprised even him!

For instance, Brooks found that families in South Dakota give almost exactly the same amount to charity in a year ($1300) as families in San Francisco. That's interesting because, as you'd suppose, the average family in San Franciso enjoys 74% more personal income than a family in South Dakota. So how does one explain why families in one small rural state give away 75% more of their income to charitable causes that families in a big, sophisticated, well educated California metro area?

Research shows one factor makes a difference: religion. Specifically, Christians in South Dakota report that they have been taught to tithe since they were children. By contrast, when the Director of a major San Francisco foundation was asked to explain the difference, she replied, "This is a pretty #$#$ godless place. People don't feel very obligated to give." In South Dakota, 50% worship weekly and only 10% never attend church. In San Francisco, 49% never participate in worship and only 14% do.

Brooks has stacks of data which he breaks down into dozens of categories. But in every category, Americans who worship are far more likely to be generous than Americans who don't. They are more likely to give their time to charitable causes. They are more likely to give money to friends in a pinch. They were 57% more likely than unbelievers to help a homeless person at least once a month!

And they don't simply give to their churches. Christians were far more likely than unbelievers to give to causes related to 9-11 directly after that tragedy. Brooks reports that worshippers are far more likely to support secular causes like the United Way. Typically, about 37% of a religious family's total donations go to non-religious causes.

Again, this is not a cause for boasting. The only recognition most Christians desire, is the pleasure of our Heavenly Father when we stand before Him someday. But for people who need evidence that there is someting different about people of faith, this should be Exhibit A.