Bashing prayer in times of crisis
National days of prayer may be doubted by post modern blasphemers who hate and resent certain aspects of American tradition and history but they are very much a part of our America culture. Our country was founded by divine Providence and our Rights originated from the creator Himself arming to the founders of our exceptional America. Just like it was great that American leaders turned to Prayer in troubling times through out our history, it’s good now as well to add prayer t facts and data in our current struggle with illness. Caused by covid -19.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Trump, who is doing everything he can to fight the coronavirus, called for a Day of Prayer recently. He proclaimed, “We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these.”
But David Hogg, a Parkland shooting survivor, tweeted: “Don’t let this administration address COVID-19 like our national gun violence. [Expletive] a National day of prayer, we need immediate comprehensive action.”
U.S. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, famous for her declaration to “impeach the [expletive]” even retweeted Hogg’s message. Dr. William Donohue, the president of the Catholic League, notes: Tlaib, as a U.S. representative, should be censured for her “obscene assault on people of faith.”
Meanwhile, an honest survey of American history shows that Trump is much closer to America’s true history by calling for days of prayer than are Hogg and Tlaib.
David Barton, a walking encyclopedia on the spiritual heritage of America, once told me, "Between 1633 and 1812, there were over 1,700 prayer proclamations issued in the colonies, where the governor would call the state to an annual day of prayer and fasting, annual day of prayer of and thanksgiving."
Bill Federer’s book, America’s God and Country , documents such historic practices.
For example, on May 31, 1775, one American colonist, Samuel Langdon, spoke before the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, calling on them to pray because of the ongoing crisis with Great Britain.
He lamented, “We have rebelled against God. We have lost the true spirit of Christianity, though we retain the outward profession and form of it. We have neglected…the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy commands and institutions.”
Who was this Langdon? Some backwoods rube? No. This was the president of Harvard, where Hogg attends school now.
During the American War for Independence, on at least 15 separate occasions, Congress called for national days of prayer, humiliation, and fasting. These were not namby-pamby, “To Whom It May Concern”-type prayers.
Here are two examples of Days of Prayer called by the Continental Congress — which, by the way, opened in prayer on its first day ever (in 1774), and Congress has opened in prayer ever since.
Example One: On June 12, 1775, the Continental Congress called for “a day of public humiliation, fasting and prayer; that we may, with united hearts and voices, unfeignedly confess and deplore our many sins; and offer up our joint supplications to the all-wise, omnipotent, and merciful Disposer of all events; humbly beseeching him to forgive our iniquities, to remove our present calamities, to avert those desolating judgments, with which we are threatened. ... And it is recommended to Christians, of all denominations, to assemble for public worship, and to abstain from servile labour and recreations on said day.”
At the end of the day, God answered the spirit of the prayer — that the crisis would be resolved. They could assemble physically in those days. With the coronavirus, at best we can “assemble” “virtually” for the moment. Yet thank God for these modern tools in our internet age.
Example Two: On March 16, 1776, the Continental Congress proclaimed another day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer”: “that that we may, with united hearts, confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and, by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his righteous displeasure, and, through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness; humbly imploring his assistance to frustrate the cruel purposes of our unnatural enemies; and by inclining their hearts to justice and benevolence, prevent the further effusion of kindred blood.”
They continued to pray, recognizing that more suffering may yet come, as they worked toward their noble goal: “But if, continuing deaf to the voice of reason and humanity, and inflexibly bent, on desolation and war, they constrain us to repel their hostile invasions by open resistance, that it may please the Lord of Hosts, the God of Armies, to animate our officers and soldiers with invincible fortitude, to guard and protect them in the day of battle, and to crown the continental arms, by sea and land, with victory and success.”
This is quite an astounding prayer for an upstart, fledgling new “nation,” which for all practical purposes lacked a national army and navy.
But ultimately God answered their prayers — so much so that George Washington said that one would be “worse than an infidel” to not recognize the Lord’s help in our becoming an independent nation.
Earlier I quoted Harvard President Samuel Langdon in his 1775 speech, asking for God’s help. In that same speech, he made this petition — one that seems appropriate in our day, in our fight against the coronavirus: “May the Lord hear us in this day of trouble....We will rejoice in His salvation.” Well, maybe not all of us.
Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is the senior producer and an on-air host for D. James Kennedy Ministries. He has written/co-written 32 books, e.g., The Unstoppable Jesus Christ, American Amnesia: Is American Paying the Price for Forgetting God?, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (w/ D. James Kennedy), and the bestseller, George Washington's Sacred Fire (w/ Peter Lillback) djkm.org @newcombejerry www.jerrynewcombe.com
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...President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence joined over 700 pastors on a conference call Friday to pray for strength and stamina amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
In a one-hour call organized by the Christian conservative activist group Family Research Council, Trump told pastors that the outbreak “came upon us so suddenly.”
“[W]e were doing better than we've ever done before as a country in terms of the economy — and then, all of the sudden, we got hit with this,” Trump was quoted as saying by FRC President Tony Perkins. “So we had to close it down.”
“We're actually paying a big price to close it down,” Trump continued. “Never happened before.”
However, Trump assured the religious leaders that he believes “we're going to come back stronger than ever before."
"I want to thank you for praying for our country and for those who are sick,” the president said. “You do such an incredible job. You're very inspirational people. And I'm with you all the way. You know that you see what we've done for right to life and all of the things that we've been working so hard together. I've been working with many of the people on the call. Many, many of the people. We've had tremendous support. But we are going to get over this."
Pence told the pastors that when he informed Trump that he was going to be on the call with pastors on Friday, Trump asked if he could join despite a full schedule.
"When I told the president I was going to be speaking to all of you, [he was] in the midst of an extraordinarily busy day. [But] he looked at me and said, 'I have to find time. I need to find time,’” Pence told the pastors. “[T]he prayers of the people on this call mean [everything] to him.”
Before leaving the call, Perkins asked the president what he’d most like people to pray for during this time of crisis and uncertainty. Trump replied by urging the pastors to pray for the “health” and “strength” of the country.
“We were doing something amazing, and then one day, it just ended. So that would be it,” Trump said, urging Americans to "make the right choice” on [election day], Nov. 3.
Pence told the pastors that he and the president “couldn't be more inspired by the way communities of faith have been stepping up.”
According to Perkins, Pence talked about how congregations are keeping their food banks going and finding ways to work within the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pence also thanked churches for offering child care to healthcare workers on the front line of battling the coronavirus.
"You know, the president has said many times that we are going to bring the full resources of our federal government to bear on this,” the vice president said. “But by all of you being here today, and by the energies and ministries that you have [used to respond] to the coronavirus in your communities, you're really putting hands and feet on your faith. And you are demonstrating what the president today called 'the greatness of American character.’”
Pence said that “we want a full partnership with you in sharing best practices again."
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson also participated in the call. According to Perkins, Carson told the pastors that “God is merciful.”
"And we will get through this,” Carson assured, adding that this could be an opportunity for God to show His power in a way that will “help us return to Him.”
"God still has His hand on this nation,” Carson was quoted as saying. “And He has His hand on all of us."
According to the Christian Broadcasting Network, pastors discussed during the call ways in which churches can assemble during the coronavirus outbreak when so many of them have halted in-person worship services.
While several churches have moved services online, others have held “drive-in” worship services to maintain social distancing.
During the call, Trump, Pence and Carson encouraged churches to comply with federal guidelines. Pence thanked pastors for suspending their services during the outbreak and said that he would encourage Americans to continue giving to churches and ministries even though they may not be attending in person.
In a White House press briefing on Saturday, Pence formally urged Americans to continue giving to ministries during the outbreak.
On Tuesday, Trump drew criticism when he said that he wanted the U.S. to be "opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” which is just over two-and-a-half weeks away.....
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases and deaths continue to grow. That's not good advertising for god.
I hope god washed his hands first.
After all, can't let a little plague get in the way of fleecing the masses.
3 days ago Erie County had 122 cases we are now up to 310 and 6 deaths, one was a 40 yr. old woman. No praying this away.
Nothing like proving the title of the seeded article right from the beginning. You made its point perfectly.
Copeland and that ignorant whore Paula White are two that are doing exactly that.
What makes you think prayer or god is free from scrutiny? Anyone can pray to their heart's content. But it won't affect the current crisis.
Indeed. It seems situations like that only demonstrate god and prayer are useless. But for some reason, pointing that out is considered "bashing." Oh well, it doesn't change the facts.
Most people call that, "giving factual information". Unless of course, you can prove that prayer, (any religion), actually changes anything. Faith is not based in fact, never has been, never will be.
How is this about me? Can you prove that prayer changes anything? Yes or no? Not a tough question.
Who does it hurt? Why not just point that person out instead of skirting around what you mean?
But there's nothing saying I can't.
This isn't about me. Something gets posted on a public discussion forum, it's open for comments. Plain and simple. Don't like some of the responses, then don't read them or post a thread. Very simple.
It seems you answered your own question.
Yes: people are praying to cure Covid. And yet, confirmed cases and deaths keep increasing. That's rather compelling evidence that prayer doesn't work. Question answered.
I asked a Christian friend of mine to pray for a billion dollars, or, the numbers for the lottery. Both requests were denied.
Prayer doesn't work. Even the bible says that faith without works is pointless.
So what's the problem?
There's no study or research that has shown prayer has ever cured or treated anything. Covid is just an example.
See previous statement. Someone merely claiming it has is meaningless and unsubstantiated.
See previous statement.
I just did.
He's a Christian, he said he did, and Christians are honest, correct?
How do you know that absolutely not one person has prayed to stop coronavirus? I am willing to bet that a lot of people have and.....guess what, it's not getting better, it's getting worse.
Maybe 'God' created the coronavirus to get rid of all the fake Christians, I mean, that's what she told me the other day.
No? Prove she didn't?
Impossible to prove a negative.
That's true. If you want to come on here, troll threads needlessly, and say dickish things, you are free to do that. And we are free to shine a light on it.
Don't like everybody hassling you about your comments? Don't make them. Very simple.
People pray for many things. "Cure all Covid in every person" is surely being prayed by some, but it's not the only thing being prayed.
No it isn't. There's no compelling evidence there - only confirmation of your clear bias. One reason I just stated: A total cure isn't the only thing being prayed. Second is that prayer is not generally claimed to be - nor generally expected to act like - some kind of magic spell where you say the words and magic always happens. So arguing against prayer the way you do is really a type of straw man.
People pray to God and sometimes the answer is "no" or "not yet." Believers understand that. Militant atheists get told this over and over, but they ignore it because it's more fun to troll.
Obviously you don't understand the concept of proving a negative.
Pretty sure that I am a God. I just need money for a new Learjet to spread the word.
Send tithings to cjcold@Learjet.com. God will love you for it.
Hallelujah! Lol
Just as some of us shine a light on the BS perpetrated in seeds like this.
I couldn't care less.
Pretty much all equally ineffective.
How is stating actual facts of the situation a bias? If people pray for Covid to be cured or eliminated, or for people to stay healthy and alive, but clearly the exact opposite is occurring, that indicates the ineffectiveness of prayer.
That only further demonstrates the ineffectiveness, and futility of prayer.
Now you're showing your bias!
Prove it's BS.
You sure put a lot of effort in for someone who claims they couldn't care less. That makes your claim pretty obviously not true.
Prove it.
Straw man (BIG surprise!) I didn't say stating actual facts of the situation constitutes bias. That doesn't even make sense. Here's the confirmation bias:
You claimed
You don't know what people are praying for. You assume you know. You also assume that prayer is supposed to eliminate all new cases and deaths. That's your own assumption. I don't know of anyone who has claimed that and neither do you.
So you make all these assumptions and all on your own you decide that this is the total and complete measure of whether or not prayer "works." You have no authority, no grounds for making such a definition.
Therefore, your data (i.e. people get sick and die) cannot be used to prove or disprove whether or not prayer "works."
Instead, what did happen? You came into this with the personal belief that prayer does not work, and you latched on to whatever bit of information suited you and declared without logic or reason - only confirmation bias - that that data is compelling evidence that prayer does not work. Your conclusion wasn't compelled. It preexisted and you confirmed it with no thoughtful analysis.
You can't say that unless you know how prayer works. You have demonstrated that you clearly don't. Neither do you care to learn.
No it doesn't. For the same reasons already stated. God is not computer software you can program. God is also not slave to every wish of human beings. You are repeatedly misrepresenting what prayer is.
Nope. My theory is developed based on experienced and you consistently reaffirm that observation.
You rebut the personification of the title of the seeded article perfectly. Thanks!
So much for that separation of church and state thing. Weird that the right wing "Christians" yell and scream about keeping Government out of our lives, then cheer when the government does exactly that. Can I assume that prayer was at some point banned, and this 'proclamation' was required to restore the need to sit in a quiet room talking to oneself, (AKA prayer)? In essence, a law was passed to ensure people could do what they already had the free ability to do. What a waste of legislation and time. People like that stupid fucker todd starnes was just last week encouraging people to congregate at churches, (and this morning, he was begging people to buy even more guns). I guess he either;
1) Thinks prayer will protect him from the coronavirus, or;
2) Wants people to die.
Besides, I was under the impression that laws cannot be made regarding religion?
Copeland was telling his flock that losing their jobs and not being able to pay their mortgage, is no excuse to not give money to his church... "I don't care if you have to live on the streets, I need another private jet!!!!!" Sad thing is that there are suckers out there that will do exactly what he wants them to do.
I don't care if people pray, feel free. It won't actually do anything to help, but if it makes people feel better? Go for it. Just quit trying to force your religion down people's throats and stay the fuck off my porch.
Trump has done everything he can to ignore and downplay the "Democrat Hoax" known as Covid-19. As recent as yesterday he said that he will not help states that don't praise him. Gov. Whitmer has received calls from surrounding states that say they have been told to not give any aid to Michigan. Where is that coming from? The Trump Admin. Have we forgotten all the lies trump has told about the COVID-19 response? "It's totally under control"...he said that whopper just a few weeks ago, now we are passing 100k people infected. Does that sound like it's, "totally under control"? Then he lied about the severity, the rate of infection, the drugs used to treat it, (there are none, per Dr. Fauci), the mortality rate and the lies about the tests.. Why exactly did trump turn down the testing kits the W.H.O offered? We clearly needed them. Oh that's right, Kushner's brother owns a company that can make the tests and that donny has stock in...Naw, I'm sure it's just a big coincidence. The list of lies goes on and on, that's NOT "doing everything he can to fight coronavirus".
In the early stages, there were Americans on cruise ships that were infected. Trump: "Well we don't want them in the USA, the numbers would make me look bad." Trump is more concerned about his image that helping fellow Americans. Just out of curiosity, how much of the money trump stole for his wall will be appropriated for fighting COVID-19? Not one cent.
Trump loves America, just not the people in it. Trump wants the entire country to praise him for being two months late during this pandemic? Um, no. He needs to do the right thing no matter what, not just help people that kiss his ass. That's not an American value that I remember.
If you seriously think trump is doing all he can? You have been lied to, big time.
Christian Post? Yea, I am sure they are unbiased.
Lastly. Our government throws around the term, "trillion" like it's just some arbitrary number, (all presidents going back to Ray Gun have done it). Give it the respect it deserves. If the 2 TRILLION dollar stimulus were seconds, it would last 64,000 years. A "TRILLION" is a shockingly big number.
I'd vote this up 100x....why are some people BLIND to the horrendous job crooked donnie is doing....kiss my ring, say nice things and I'll send help, otherwise go piss up a drain pipe...great american president /s
He is, in every way that matters, a horrible human being.
Also, thank you.
for the sake of clarification, which right wing deity is being described?
Like clockwork
the anti-fake xtian bashing fest to be precise.
fortunately you as a former believer turned against the faith don’t get to decide whether Christians are real or not.
Neither do you!
I don’t sit in judgement over others. That’s reserved to God alone.
Funny how you've done it so often.
Projecting yourself upon others again?
Not even a little.
The seed is about prayer during a national crisis and how it’s been done repeatedly through out our history and why some now have such an aversion to it. The seed has next to nothing to do with how Trump is doing as our President, other than that he joined many other Presidents who have called for prayer in addition to the other things we can do
It always was and still is just an empty gesture which accomplishes nothing other than political pandering and lip service to the masses.
And yet you are always here to complain about it despite it being done repeatedly through out our history. Fortunately most people disregard your desire for us to despair in utter hopelessness instead...
I am getting the impression that what you see as "complaining" other people see as stating a truth.
That's a 100% true statement, no need to attack him for it. If you want to debate it, feel free, but attacking someone for posting something truthful only illustrates how weak your argument really is.
Just as you are always here to post articles like this.
Is that what you think I'm trying to do? Wow, just too laughable.
I doubt that's his intention and certainly not the effect.
take a hint. get a clue.
You can't prove it so you should stop claiming it.
I did. That’s why I seeded this article and made the posts I have made. An active prayer life has done many people much good.
Considering calling for prayer during this crisis (or any other for that matter) hasn't actually done anything to resolve it, then yes, praying is just a useless gesture. It's little more than an emotional appeal to the masses.
You have no way of knowing if that's true. Hasn't done anything? On the contrary, I would say it has brought out the Christian impulse of charity in many people. The effort they are putting out - even if it's just thinking of others enough to stay home - will reduce the ultimate damage done by this disease.
Even if that's all it does, it is therefore not a "useless gesture."
It seems that the 10% wish for their emotional well being is that the 70% suffer in silence and not publicly express what we believe during this crisis because they can’t be offended by people talking of hope through their faith and belief. Talk about selfishness, the consistent trait of the secular humanist.
Charity is a "Christian impulse" ???
Yes. Of course. I didn't say you had to be Christian to be charitable, but it is something that Christians are specifically called to be.
Well, you don’t see a lot of community based Atheist food banks or charities out there.
Every church I’ve ever gone to has at least a food bank that the needy draw from. The biggest fund raiser for the needy in our community is a Christian based fund raiser. Most communities have a Salvation Army which is Christian based.
So yes charity is big for many Christians but they certainly don’t have the market cornered. I don’t see anyone trying to infer that here.
Yes it is. We as Christians are called to be charitable, give to charity, and to do to the least of these. The mandate is clear that we are to be charitable which means assisting the poor and homeless, visiting and helping the sick, providing help to those in prison, providing food, clothing, blankets, to those in need. Many churches operate charities that are directly involved in all that as well as provide education and hospital and or clinics all over America and the world. Catholic, Methodist, Latter Day Saints, Evangelicals, Episcopalian, Seventh Day Adventist, Lutheran, Orthodox, Salvation Army, all are well known for their efforts in the above.
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Less God, Less Giving
Karl Zinsmeister | Winter 2019
From its founding, the United States has been the most religious modern nation on earth. And that devotion has fueled many successes in character development, mutual aid, social reform, and national productivity. Yet right from the beginning, American religious activity has been cyclical—flowing and ebbing and flowing again. Historians have identified up to four “great awakenings” in U.S. history where religious conviction surged. In between were periods of backsliding.
Today, we are in a period of decline. Steep decline.
Open antagonism toward faith is increasingly common in the U.S. There are now regular calls for crimping longstanding religious protections. New York Times religion columnist Mark Oppenheimer urged that the peak of the gay marriage debate was a good occasion to end the historic tax exemption for houses of worship. The insistence that expressions of faith must be expunged from national discussions, from education, even from sporting and other public events, is on the rise. “There are a lot of nonbelievers who want religious views kept out of the public square entirely. That’s a big problem,” pastor Tim Keller recently told Philanthropy.
Underlying this resistance to religion is an assumption that faith is not important to the functioning of our nation. It has little social value, according to this view, and may even be harmful to citizens and the republic in various ways. Rising numbers of Americans believe that religious activity can be stopped or pushed entirely into private sanctums without any public cost.
Those Americans are mistaken.
American faith takes a tumble
As recently as 1972, 95 percent of Americans affirmed a religious affiliation. By 2016 that had fallen to 76 percent. (See graph 1) The proportion of adults who attend religious services weekly is now down to 36 percent. (See graph 2)
Younger Americans in particular are falling away. Just 27 percent of adults under 30 attend services weekly. And nearly four out of ten 18-29-year-olds now say they have no religious affiliation. (See graph 3)
What does it mean to be religiously unaffiliated? Well, roughly six out of ten of this group consider themselves secular, and three out of ten are active atheists or agnostics. The small remainder identify as “religious” but with no particular faith. Most of the unaffiliated are suspicious of religion.
A large majority of today’s religiously unaffiliated Americans believe that religious institutions do little or nothing to solve social problems. (See graph 4) As a result, more of the U.S. population as a whole now say religion is “part of the problem” than say it is “part of the solution.” (See graph 5)
When it comes specifically to philanthropy, 57 percent of all Americans today believe that efforts to help the poor, comfort the needy, relieve disaster victims, and otherwise serve the common good would be just as prevalent “if there were no people of faith or religious organizations to do them.” (See graph 6) As a factual matter, is that accurate?
The humanitarian habits of religious people
When researchers document how people spend their hours and their money, religious Americans look very different from others. Pew Research Center investigators examined the behavior of a large sample of the public across a typical seven-day period. They found that among Americans who attend services weekly and pray daily, 45 percent had done volunteer work during the previous week. Among all other Americans, only 27 percent had volunteered somewhere. (See graph 7)
The capacity of religion to motivate pro-social behavior goes way beyond volunteering. Religious people are more involved in community groups. They have stronger links with their neighbors. They are more engaged with their own families. Pew has found that among Americans who attend worship weekly and pray daily, about half gather with extended family members at least once a month. For the rest of our population, it’s 30 percent. (See graph 8)
Of all the “associational” activity that takes place in the U.S., almost half is church-related, according to Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam. “As a whole,” notes Tim Keller, “secularism is not good for society.” Secularism “makes people very fragmented—they might talk about community, but they aren’t sacrificing their own personal goals for community, as religion requires you to do.”
Religious practice links us in webs of mutual knowledge, responsibility, and support like no other influence. Seven out of ten weekly church attenders told Pew they consider “work to help the needy” an “essential part” of their faith. Most of them put their money and time where their mouth is: 65 percent of weekly church attenders were found to have donated either volunteer hours or money or goods to the poor within the previous week. (See graph 9)
Philanthropic studies show that people with a religious affiliation give away several times as much every year as other Americans. Research by the Lilly School at Indiana University found Americans with any religious affiliation made average annual charitable donations of $1,590, versus $695 for those with no religious affiliation. Another report using data from the Panel Study for Income Dynamics juxtaposed Americans who do not attend religious services with those who attend worship at least twice a month, and made fine-tunings to compare demographic apples to apples. The results: $2,935 of annual charitable giving for the church attenders, versus $704 for the non-attenders. (See graph 10) In addition to giving larger amounts, the religious give more often—making gifts about half again as frequently.
In study after study, religious practice is the behavioral variable with the strongest and most consistent association with generous giving. And people with religious motivations don’t give just to faith-based causes—they are also much likelier to give to secular causes than the nonreligious. Two thirds of people who worship at least twice a month give to secular causes, compared to less than half of non-attenders, and the average secular gift by a church attender is 20 percent bigger. (See graph 11)
These giving levels vary by particular faith. Mormons are the most generous Americans, both by participation level and by size of gifts. Evangelical Christians are next. Then come mainline Protestants. Catholics lag both. Jews give high dollar amounts on average, because they have high earnings, while trailing Protestant givers in donations as a share of income. (See “Who Gives Most to Charity?” in the Almanac of American Philanthropy.)
Religious charity dominates U.S. philanthropy
America’s tradition of voluntary charitable giving is one of the clearest markers of U.S. exceptionalism. As a fraction of our income, we donate over two and a half times as much as Britons do, more than eight times as much as the Germans, and at 12 times the rate of the Japanese. American religiosity plays a central role in that distinctive pattern.
The annual Giving USA tabulations show a third of our donations as going to religious causes. But Giving USAstatisticians acknowledge that this is a gross underestimate. Their calculations include only gifts to houses of worship and related mission organizations. Excluded from their total, they point out, are gifts to faith-based organizations like the Salvation Army and gospel missions for the homeless, to religious schools of all sorts, to Catholic hospitals, to the Jewish federations, to missionary organizations that serve the poor abroad, and so forth.
A consortium of Jewish funders and other independent foundations called Connected to Give commissioned studies to produce a more inclusive and accurate estimate of religiously driven giving. Its 2013 report conglomerated gifts to churches and synagogues with gifts to faith charities and found that 73 percent of all charitable giving in the U.S. goes to organizations that are explicitly religious. (See graph 12) Other research shows that of America’s top 50 charities, 40 percent are faith-based.
An even more inclusive 2016 study by Georgetown University economist Brian Grim calculated the economic value of all U.S. religious activity. Its midrange estimate was that religion annually contributes $1.2 trillion of socioeconomic value to the U.S. economy. This estimate includes not only the fair market value of activity connected to churches (like $91 billion of religious schooling and daycare), and by non-church religious institutions (faith-based charities, hospitals, and colleges), but also activity by faith-related commercial organizations. That $1.2 trillion is more than the combined revenue of America’s ten biggest tech giants. It is bigger than the total economy of all but 14 entire nations.
Ways the religious help others
To get a sense of the often-invisible ways in which persons of faith help others, consider giving to the poorest of the poor overseas. The most conspicuous philanthropy done in this area is carried out by the Gates Foundation. Gates contributions in Africa and other low-income countries are the signature effort of the world’s largest charitable foundation, and have had heroic effects, in areas ranging from malaria protection to HIV control to eradicating polio.
With the marvelous Gates generosity in mind, now absorb this: members of U.S. churches and synagogues send four and a half times as much money overseas to needy people every year as the Gates Foundation does! Much of this religious charity is applied in the hardest places, with high efficiency and low overhead, by Christians who “go the last mile” into rural, extremely poor, or dangerous areas where governments and international bureaucracies have no effective reach. (See “Modern Missionaries” in the Spring 2018 issue of Philanthropy.)
It is easy to overlook this giving, because it comes not in megagifts from billionaires but rather in millions of $50 checks written by faithful donors to groups like Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, International Justice Mission, Mercy Ships, American Jewish World Service, Compassion International, Catholic Medical Mission Board, MAP International, and so forth. Over the last couple decades, soaring interest in the poorest of the poor by evangelical Christians in particular has made overseas giving the fastest growing corner of American charity. One result: U.S. voluntary giving to the overseas poor now totals $44 billion annually—far more than the $33 billion of official aid distributed by the U.S. government.
There are many other types of charity and social healing where religious givers are dominant influences.
One strength of religious philanthropy is sheer numbers. There are approximately 345,000 congregations stretched across our nation. If you wander America, notes economist Brian Grim, you will pass 25 churches for every Starbucks you come across. (See graph 17) The millions of decentralized services provided by those houses of worship include things like free or below-market space provided to community groups, preschool and daycare offerings, many types of social services, arts events, Boy Scout and sports-team sponsorships, and cash and in-kind support for neighborhood causes and needy individuals.
Multi-decade research led by University of Pennsylvania professor Ram Cnaan has found large human and economic benefits from church operations. One of his studies of older urban churches found that 89 percent of total visits to these institutions were to take part in a program, educational offering, or community event, rather than for worship. Nine out of ten beneficiaries of these community programs were not members of the religious congregation. Cnaan estimated that the economic impact alone these houses of worship have on their locale averages $1.7 million per year. Multiply that by many thousands of churches nationwide, and then add in non-economic improvements in social life and individual behavior, and you can see the potential for large effects. (See graph 18)
Not surprisingly, studies of church closures conducted by Nancy Kinney and others find that shutting down a city congregation will often damage a neighborhood’s viability and socioeconomic health. Conversely, active churches, religious schools sponsored by churches, and church-aided neighborhood ministries (like the Zarephath Health Center profiled in “Medical Matchmaking” in the Fall 2017 issue of Philanthropy) can often have strong effects in stabilizing and revitalizing communities.
It isn’t just a matter of serving and healing others. People of faith also behave differently themselves. There is lots of evidence that in addition to encouraging a “brother’s keeper” attitude that manifests itself in philanthropy and volunteering, religious participation also inculcates healthy habits that help individuals resist destructive personal behavior themselves.
A classic study by Harvard economist James Freeman found that black males living in inner-city poverty tracts were far less likely to engage in crime and drug use if they attended church. Church attendance was also associated with better academic performance and more success in holding jobs. Follow-up studies found that regular church attendance could even help counterbalance threats to child success like parental absence, low school quality, local drug traffic, and crime in the neighborhood.
Regular religious participation is correlated with many positive social outcomes: less poverty, fewer divorces and more marital happiness, fewer births out of wedlock, less suicide, reduced binge-drinking, less depression, better relationships. This is true among Americans of all demographic backgrounds.
Causes for concern
Given all the evidence linking religious practice with both healthy individual behavior and generosity toward others, recent patterns of religious decline are concerning. The generational trends—a third of 18-29-year-olds saying they are religiously unaffiliated, and only a quarter attending services weekly—suggest that the philanthropic sharing that has long powered social reform and self-improvement in America could sag in the future. Indeed, recent research on voluntary giving says that future is already here.
Four important investigations in the last year or so uncovered alarming declines in the breadth of American giving. A Lilly School of Philanthropy report found that the fraction of U.S. households giving to charity dropped from 68 to 56 percent from 2003 to 2015. A similar 2018 study at the University of Maryland confirmed that tumble, and added evidence that the national volunteering rate is also deteriorating. By 2015 there were 10 million fewer volunteers in the U.S. than there would have been if the 2005 rate had just held constant. Meanwhile, analysis of the last ten years of IRS data by the Chronicle of Philanthropy showed a drop in charitable-deduction itemizing from 30 percent of all filers to 24 percent. And a study by Texas A&M academics reported “sharp declines in overall donative behavior” over the past decade. (See graph 19)
It appears that not only generational change but also wealth effects are depressing religious philanthropy. While giving by the whole population has recently declined, gifts from the rich continue to be strong. The rich, however, tend to give to different causes than everyday Americans. Data from the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy show that households making $140,000 or more in current dollars donate only 30 percent of their charity to causes connected to religion—while other Americans channel 60 percent in that direction. If giving by moderate-income households continues to fade and donations by the wealthy become more dominant in the future, expect a bigger flow of philanthropy to colleges and art galleries, and less to charities motivated by religious concern for the least and the lost. (See graph 20)
It’s clear that America’s unusual religiosity and extraordinary generosity are closely linked. As faith spirals downward, voluntary giving is very likely to follow. An obvious question for philanthropists is whether the causation arrow can be reversed.
Might there be ways that savvy donors could reinforce religious practice, yielding a range of pro-social results including more charitable generosity? We gave that question serious thought and came up with some practical proposals for philanthropists interested in rebuilding faith and generosity in tandem. For some rays of hope on this somewhat gloomy subject, turn to “Ways Philanthropy Can Reinforce Faith and Its Good Works” in the Ideas section of this magazine.
Thanks for proving the article correct about bashing prayer in a time of crisis and bashing prayer, The Bible, God, and Christians in general in the process.
Haters gotta hate. It’s a universal constant.
That is the bottom line isn’t it? They must really hate our country’s history as well as days of prayer 🙏 are there through out our history. And it was our founders who believed in a separation of church and state that did it and prayed opening their meetings and had worship services in our capital building. George Washington was right about his description of those who deny divine providence in our founding as a nation.
Washington was a deist and believed in a greater being. Our first amendment was written to protect us from State Religion and so-called leaders like tRump acting like the State and Church are one. That Shining City on the Hill is now for sale to tRumps highest bidders.
In my experience they tend to be very unhappy people for one reason or another. Holding so much anger and hate in their hearts.
It’s very sad.
My faith is strong.
I really don’t worry about what others think of that but I do find all the hatred and anger that gets direct towards people of faith here to be very telling of the source.
Well, it is generally free speech, which I support wholeheartedly in most cases. Doesn’t mean one has to agree with what’s being said.
Free speech is easy when you agree with what’s being said. It’s only gets hard when you disagree with it.
Exactly.
Read this thread top to bottom. Who is attacking who here? Lots of personal comments aimed at individuals posting here. I don't care if your faith is strong, in fact, good for you. I mean that. But this article fails on two accounts;
1) Trump's response to the coronavirus was, is, and will be a total shitshow.
2) No one, not ONE person has ever even suggested that prayer be removed, or for that matter, curtailing what faith people in this country choose to follow.
It's that simple. Pray all you like if that makes you feel better.
Well from what I can see there is plenty of attacking and defending going in both directions.
That said Frosty, I’ll leave the rest alone. We clearly are not going to agree on much of that.
They are not proselytizing. The faithless can not proselytize. They can only talk about reason and that isn't a faith.
Real is obviously something you lack. Argue my points I doubt you can.
I just posted trumps statements on COVID-19, he absolutely lied.
But ultimately God answered their prayers — so much so that George Washington said that one would be “worse than an infidel” to not recognize the Lord’s help in our becoming an independent nation.
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That’s ridiculous to say that atheists and secularists can’t or don’t advocate for their position or beliefs. They can even quote the Bible to persuade in their unbelief but if a believer does do to explain what we believe or why we do so then it’s not ok. Loki is right in all that he’s said on this subject here
What does Trump have to do with the title or subject of the seed?
It's in your article:
President Trump, who is doing everything he can to fight the coronavirus, called for a Day of Prayer recently. He proclaimed, “We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these.”
Did you read the first fucking sentence?
Prove it.
Atheists have it and Christians do not.
The French Revolution is how reason alone without any religion ends up. They worshipped reason as their new God like todays atheists worship the god of logic. And yes it’s a belief system.
Because he’s right that we have through our history done that and are doing that and up to the end times always will do that.
Where is logic declared a religion or god exactly? Is there a religious text to go along with it? Or do you not see how absurdly contradictory your statement is?
Oh, do tell!
I ask for an elaboration and all you have to offer is snark. I'll make a note of that too.
We don't know. Give it a try so we can decide...
Still no elaboration, just more snark and evasion I see. How illogical.
Washington believed it enough to say that those who denied it were worse than infidels and I agree with Washington to this day on that comment.
Post 4.1.37
The denial is obvious. There is no hope without religion.
They totally ignored it. The French and Russian revolutions combined with all countries that had atheism as their state religion while repressing theistic religion all without exception had bad endings.
Secular humanism is today’s cult of reason.
You say that like reason is a bad thing? It certainly beats the alternatives.
Actually going by past secularists behaviors and the things believers do as shown here, ours is the more beneficial
What a bias. But I'm talking about reason, not behavior.
I don’t care what you say regarding your concept of what reason and logic mean. There is no morality in those two traits or their belief system. On the other hand those are believers and act in accordance with those beliefs greatly benefit society as a whole.
Or you just don't care about logic and reason.
Another Strawman. The issue of point is reason, not morality or behavior. And reason isn't a belief system either. So it's apparent you do not undersand what reason is. Perhaps that's why you seem to view it as a threat of some kind?
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If you want to talk about reason go start your own seed about that religion or take it to critical thinkers or secularists groups. Your atheist religious belief system and placing logic on a pedestal above all else is no threat to either our beliefs nor the works we do in the world because of the love and faith we have. Like I’ve said, get your co believers to match us in what we do to ease human suffering in the world with dollars and works instead of carping uselessly at what we believe?
What beliefs are you referring? How is logic, reason, or atheism a religion or belief exactly? Thats an oxymoron if there ever was one. It's both odd and sad that you seem to view logic and reason as some kind of threat. What you believe isn't the issue either. So I'm not sure why youre making this abut you. Unless you're just trying to play the victim again.
True. Although, too be fair to most of America, I don't think we should put too much stock in a couple of stone-hearted jerks on Twitter. Even if they are sorta famous.
Good point!
Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us from our sins. tRump wants Americas to suffer to save him from his sins.
When White Evangelicals and their leaders like the Lt. Governor of Texas believe the elderly need to die to save Wall Street they are not Christians. They want others to pay for their sins.
I pray every day to save the least of us from suffering. tRump lies every day to protect himself and his Presidency. The "Two Corinthians" President believes in only one prophet and that is profit.
When was the last time crooked donnie ACTUALLY went to church?
His church is the golf course
He has said in the past he is an atheist, but saying he is a Christian gets him more votes. Oldest con in the book, "tell the people what they want to hear and they will follow you anywhere". Just like Jim Jones.
He’s a Presbyterian atheist?
It is a well known fact in NY, that Trump never set foot into a church when he was not the president. His lineage might have been Presbyterian (not even sure of that, since he is of German background which would make him either Catholic or Lutheran), but he was non-practicing.
He said in his book that he is an Atheist, which he claimed gave him and edge over Christians when making a deal.
I know that Mr. F, but I don't think that it's common knowledge.
Don’t forget the 10 Hail Hillary’s for balance
If he said he was a full blown Christian, would you be saying that? Nope. He said it, deal with it, your spin and dance doesn't change that fact. Sorry.
His ideas, ghost writer. There is a difference.
I'm aware, but in the interests of continuity, I had to reply to you, even if it was meant for people other than yourself.
Please, tell us what makes trump a Christian? Is it the lying? Sexual assault? etc..?
If trump is a Christian, (and I highly doubt it), he is the worst one ever.
Um, you may want to read down the thread...
Kind of a short list.... I mean, he has published more books than he has read....mostly because he can't read.
I’m simply taking his word for what denomination he belongs to
well said. 👍👏🙏🗽🦅🇺🇸
Nope, what you posted is fake news. Nothing but right wing media BS.
I mean, that's what the right says every single time something negative is said about trump.
In his youth along with his family Trump attended Dr Norman Vincent Peale's Marble Collegient Church. Peale preached a predecessor of the evangelical prosperity gospwl also known as the worship of money.
It is that anytime a Christian makes a point that causes a secularist to feel or look bad
He has never made me think of him as a person of faith, but that is not my issue to judge. When it comes to voting for president, it's not terribly important to me, although I am glad to see him bring it up a lot now that he is president.
Me too.
But Trump!!!
Yep, trump is a butt, and a moronic imbecile.
Anyone supporting tRump and claim they are Christians is but they are only so as reflected in Matthew 23.
The great holy man rump calls for prayer huh?!
5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Matthew 6:5-8
Would you have quoted that to Washington or Lincoln, or FDR, or any other President prior to Trump when they called for a day of prayer?
He also prayed with the group and preached in public every day, so he wasn't exactly trying to tell people to hide in their house and never be public about their faith. He just didn't want people doing it for show.
That’s the bottom line.
Apparently, having faith isn't enough.
James 2:14-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [ a ] your works, and I will show you my faith by [ b ] my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [ c ] dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [ d ] perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [ e ] accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
That’s obvious. That’s why once we believe by faith we grow in our relationship with Him. The works are things we do because we love him and want to please Him. Faith alone can provide salvation such as that shown by the thief on the cross who died before there was a chance for a saved by faith alone relationship to mature. Works alone with out faith can never earn one salvation. We can not work or earn our way into Heaven. Thanks for pointing that truth out.
Enjoy your Saturday folks. Going to have surgery Monday so I gotta tie up some loose ends.
Best of luck ! Come back safe !
I’ll pray for you that all goes well for you and that God will guide the surgeons hands and that He will bring you healing during and after it.
Be well and be safe. Best of wishes..
Hope all goes well and a quick recovery
Good luck MrFrost.
No thank you. Prayer is not my style.
But you believe in luck.
No, I don't.
You clearly do or you wouldn't have said:
You put your faith in something you probably can't define completely and have no way of proving exists. Yet you made a wish MrFrost should enjoy some "good luck" whatever that is.
There’s no logic or reason in good luck. That’s strictly an emotional response.
Maybe President Trump can ad you to his day of prayer.
Good luck Frosty ..... good vibes coming from Michigan for a successful surgery.
Talk about a prophetic headline.....The author was so right on.
Stay frosty sir!
gee, I wonder how many days of prayer it's going to take for trumpski's true believers.
"You know, the president has said many times that we are going to we're going to bring the full resources of our of our federal government to bear on this. But by all of you being here today, and by the energies and ministries that you have [used to response] to the coronavirus in your communities, you're really putting hands and feet on your faith. And you are demonstrating what the president today called 'the greatness of American character' ...And we want to urge you on. We want a full partnership with you in sharing best practices again."
Continue to pray, Mike urged, for the experts counseling this president from every branch of government. Remember state and local officials, too, and people who are struggling and experiencing loss. We are so fortunate, Secretary Ben Carson echoed on that same call, that this happened during a time of economic growth and blessing. "God is merciful," Dr. Carson reminded us. "And we will get through this." Maybe, he said, this is an opportunity for the Lord to show His power in a way that will "help us return to Him." In the meantime, he assured, "God still has His hand on this nation. And He has His hand on all of us."
God has put Trump in his Presidency for such a moment as this. We are Grateful for that and pray for many things in our daily prayer lives.
God doesn't do politics
No he doesn’t. But he does pick individuals to lead to carry out his will for a nation for a point in time. He appointed Cyrus to free Israel and let them return to Jerusalem over 100 years before he was born and before Israel was taken into captivity to Babylon in the first place. And when the writings were shown to him after he took Babylon by Daniel he did just that.
God in no way, shape or form picked crooked donnie.
Then why bother voting? Talk about votes not counting.
...Gateway Church pastor Robert Morris shared how to fight off the “depression” inflicted by the devil in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, stressing that “God is going to get us through this.”
In a sermon delivered March 21, Morris cited Psalm 42:5, where David says: “Why are you cast down, Oh my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God for I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance.”
“What he’s saying is, ‘This season’s gonna pass. This is just a season. Why are you cast down?’” he explained.
Another word for “cast down” is “pressed down,” or “depressed,” Morris said. “When you get in your car, you depress the gas pedal or depress the brake. You depress.”
“If you say, ‘I’m depressed,’ or ‘a person has depression,’ here’s what you’re saying, That person is being pushed down,” he continued. “Who is pushing you down? The enemy is pushing you down. And you don’t need to agree with the enemy with your mouth. So don’t be depressed.”
David also uses the word “disquieted,” which in the Hebrew means “growling,” Morris said, adding, “He’s talking to himself saying, ‘Why are you growling?’ Or let me put it another way, ‘Why are you grumbling?’”
“You have to say to your mind: ‘Stop it,’” Morris stressed. “I mean, I had to do it this last week. One morning I just got flooded with fear and think about it: If you have a cough, [you] immediately [think], ‘I must have the coronavirus. I better go get tested.' You can just keep going: 'I've felt a little achy lately.'”
“I’m not saying don’t use wisdom ... if you have any of the symptoms, go get tested,” he added. “I’m just saying, what you know to be true is, we can get depressed, and the enemy gets on top of us and pushes us down and we get more and more depressed and then we start grumbling on the inside. You have to tell your soul, ‘Stop grumbling.’”
“Here’s basically what David said to his soul: “Shut up. Shut up.' Let’s talk about [how] God is going to bring us through this season. God is going to get us through this.”.....
To all the anti theists out there, can you tell us now this far into the pandemic how you each have been personally harmed by those of us who are believers praying and openly saying that we are doing so during this pandemic? Explain how our supposed lack of logic and reason has in any way affected you all.