RE: Characteristics of Christianity

Debbie asks a number of questions. My response to these is as follows:

1. There is the question, "If it were illegal to be a Christian, would there
be enough evidence to convict you?"

TTV: Depends on what you consider "evidence." Many Christians are
uncomfortable praying before a meal in a restaurant. If a Christian asks
for a blessing before a meal, there's some evidence. The Christian Peace
Makers who were kidnapped in Iraq back in November showed evidence of their
Christian faith, even though some might think their actions were
misdirected. They were, in fact, convicted on the basis of their evidence.

2. I am in business, and virtually all my customers are Christians - not
cultural Christians (similar to someone who is Jewish by birth but doesn't
practice) but Christians who get roped into the various duties of belonging
to a church. This group, myself included, will find extra money for someone
who ended up with an extra chunk of work, call someone up to say their quote
was too low, ask if the budget is working out for them and otherwise act in
a charitable manner to those with whom they are working. I have also had a
sub agree to no payment if I didn't get paid, even though the contract said
differently. (We got paid.) This group includes Baptists, Lutherans,
Catholics and other Christian religions. We didn't necessarily know that the
other was Christian before working together, but we figured it out, and
continue the relationships because we have similar standards - which makes
life much easier.

TTV: Often the evidence is not clear. You mention ethics in business but
Christians don't have the market cornered on ethics in business (remember
Jim and Faye Baker?). In other words, if non-Christians exhibit the type of
behaviour you mention (what Calvinists call "Common Grace"), they might be
convicted on incorrect evidence.

3. Is Christianity measurable?

TTV: Probably not by us, humans. How would you measure the degree of
Christianity that is being shown by the Afghani convert who is before the
court in Afghanistan and may face execution? How would you compare it my
faith, somebody who made it to church this morning?

4. I have seen studies that prayer aids healing - they didn't seem to be
overwhelming in statistical significance. My husband said that there was a
study on people's believing in terms of cancer survival, which showed it
made no difference. I find that to be an impossible study. How can you
measure believing? How can you command it?

TTV: I think that there is enough anecdotal evidence that prayer aids in
cancer survival. Whether or not the prayer is answered by God in the way we
would think He would or whether prayer causes some beneficial change in
one's body is not clear to me. As to "commanding faith," I though that
faith was a gift from God. You can hone your faith but, if you ain't got
it, you ain't got it.

5. God prospered the Jews when they were faithful. Is it possible to measure
anything scientific in terms of the difference that being a Christian makes?

TTV: Televangelist seem to believe that there is a link between prayer (and
more importantly, giving to their cause) and prosperity. Some people also
believe that there is a direct link between the US and prosperity, hence, I
believe, the prayer (command?) "God bless America." To Christians,
salvation is the key. If we have faith, we have eternal life and that's a
lot better than a fat bank account. If we have faith, it should show in our
works. But you cannot measure salvation quantitatively; you can probably
measure "good works" quantitatively but there is no clear correlation
between faith and good works.

Chuck Vandergraaf
 
Received on Sun Mar 26 15:03:44 2006