This may sound surprising, given the religious discord we often see in the news. But the authors state that people who know members of other religions are more tolerant of them. They call this the "Aunt Susan" principle, stating that, often due to inter-religious marriages, many people have a relative of another faith.
I would like to look at one specific point that the Economist column brings up. It says that 9 of 10 of those surveyed think that people from other faiths can go to heaven. This is seen as a mark of tolerance, and the 1 in 10 who don't see it this way are called "inflexible."
Speaking solely for Christianity (although I gather Islam is the same), our doctrine says there's one path to heaven. Don't follow it, you don't get there. But this sounds harsh and unfair to a lot of people. I suspect that most of the 90% of people cited in the study are not deeply involved in their faith, and thus assume that any "good" person can go to heaven. Or else they believe that, no matter what the Bible says, people from other religions still believe in a God of some sort, so they're OK. Maybe they go to a non-denominational megachurch that focuses solely on the feel-good parts of Christianity.
What this story suggests, then, is that our society is better off if everyone is only casually religious. The Economist author states that, for the "inflexible" 10%, Aunt Susan "is not welcome in their company." He seems to assume that, if you don't think someone is headed for heaven, you dislike them. Ergo, devout people create divisions in, and are bad for, society.
If you are only interested in this from the societal aspect, maybe these findings make sense. But from a religious standpoint, the lack of knowledge/acceptance of basic doctrine is troubling.
But I would dispute the assumption that the devout dislike those that aren't going to heaven. Sure, there are people like that, but there are many others that have devoted their lives (or at least a good portion of their time and/or resources) to reach out to these people to try to improve their lives, in hopes that they will eventually end up in heaven. That sounds like good social capital to me.
Great post! I think you are 100% correct in your theory (and I'm paraphrasing) that maybe people who aren't involved in the Word believe that people who are "good" go to heaven. The problem with that is that the Lord tells us, (and even the Pharisees who were the biblical "experts") that there is "no one good among you-no not one". Micah 7:2
ReplyDeleteHis Word reminds us that no matter how "nice, good, kind, or charitable", we are sinners and therefore not able to enter the kingdom of heaven without being washed clean. Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
Most churches have abandoned teaching the unfailing, and unwavering Word of God for less "archaic" things such as self-help groups, personal growth sermons, the prosperity "gospel" and lively and fun activities. The bible doesn't teach us to spend our days working to make ourselves better NOR to be more like the world. It teaches us to humble ourselves and be the servant of man. It teaches us to be set apart in this world of conformity and sin. Unfortunately, if people aren't reading or being taught the Word, they don't know that!
So much of modern Christianity is all inclusive..there is no longer a narrow door. Fortunately, there are still some Bible teaching churches. These churches won't stop teaching word for word through the bible..no matter how outdated, pointed, alienating to the world and non-flashy that may be! Thank God His Word never changes, and neither does He. What He taught 2000 years ago-that He is the only way to salvation remains true forever...no matter what some lukewarm Christians choose to ignore.