One last Daily Droplets from Rodney Stark’s book America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists. This is a book good that shows the practical side of Christianity. It would be a good resource for high school Bible class teachers and college age students. By “religion,” Stark almost completely means Christianity although some Jews turned up in several of the studies as well. Regardless, the ethics taught in the Old Testament are very similar to those taught in the New Testament.
After Stark spends eight chapters discussing the value of Christians to America’s social life, fertility and family growth, sexuality, mental and physical health, citizenship, achievement and the intellectual life, he concludes with “Counting our Blessings.”
In this final section, he tries to put a dollar amount on what Christianity saves the American taxpayer. “What would it cost if America suddenly were transformed into a fully secularized society?”
I have presented a few of these stats in previous writings but let’s combine them all into one thought. Since Christians get into less legal trouble, Jesus saves our society $2.1 trillion. Home schooling saves $630 million. Mentally healthy Christians save $216 billion. Since weekly worship has a positive impact on our physical health, we save our economic system about $115.5 billion. Our charitable giving saves the welfare state around $31 billion.
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If you add all that up, Christians are saving the American economy/tax payer $2.67 trillion per year! Our national debt is at $17 trillion. Imagine what could happen if the number of people who follow at some of Christ’s principles were to quadruple! Our taxes could be cut by 75%!
God promised Abraham: “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Certainly that seed from Abraham is Jesus Christ “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).
But, if we are in Christ, then we are Abraham’s seed (Gal. 3:29). Christians, as we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, are a blessing to society. Research proves it.
–Paul Holland
