skeeve

Kids are growing and as a part of the process they become interested in certain questions… Yesterday, my son, who is 11 had a discussion with a friend of his (also 11) concerning the existence of God. I will refrain from the exact content but something really caught my attention…At some point he asked the guy whether he read the Bible. His friend immediately became very evasive but eventually was pressed into admitting that he did not, never have… but, he said, “my priest told me and I believe him…”...

And that made me wonder, just how many among those people who claim to be Christian and who insist that those who are not must quietly pack and go to hell actually read the primary source?... So, I did a little research… what I found reminds me painfully about old Soviet Union days and the way people supposedly learned works of Marx …in other words pure indoctrination at very young age

Anyway.. something to think about…

According to Gallup, "Despite the impressive statistics concerning Bible reading and study, it is apparent that ignorance about its contents is widespread." 8

He gives evidence for this conclusion:   

Only half of adults interviewed nationwide could name any of the four Gospels of the New  Testament.

Just 37% of those interviewed could name all four Gospels.

Only 42% of adults were able to name as many as five of the Ten Commandments correctly.

Seven in ten (70%) were able to name the town where Jesus was born, but just 42% could identify him as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.

Researcher George Barna has also documented the lack of Bible knowledge in the United States:

38% of Americans believe the entire Bible was written several decades after Jesus' death and resurrection (While this is true of the New Testament, the entire Old Testament was written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ).

12% of adults believe that Noah's wife was Joan of Arc.

49% believe that the Bible teaches that money is the root of all evil. (The love of money is said to be the root of all types of evil).

75% believe that the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves.

All of these reflect luck of knowlege conserning the factual information... how many of those who actualy could answer these questions ever though and understand the content... then again faith doesn't require understanding, does it?