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Christianity Today, September, 2007 |

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Recent statistics on peacemaking, church abuse, and Christian product sales.

Compiled by Ted Olsen | posted 8/20/2007 08:59AM

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49% Americans say that maintaining military strength is the best way to ensure peace.

62% Americans who said this five years ago.

Source: Pew Research Center

$1.3 million The average payout plaintiffs will receive in a $660 million settlement with the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles.

$2 billion Roman Catholic payouts for abuse settlements and court judgments nationwide.

Source: Associated Press

52% Sales of Christian products that occur at Christian retailers

33% Sales of Christian products that occur at general market retailers like Wal-Mart and Borders

$4.63 billion Total sales for Christian products in 2006

Source: Religion News Service

31% Of the $250 billion U.S. individuals gave to nonprofits in 2005, amount that went to the needs of the economically disadvantaged.

24% Of the $101 billion given to religious causes, amount that goes to benevolence.

Source: The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University

Related Elsewhere:

See our earlier Go Figure postings from August 2007, July 2007, June 2007, May 2007, April 2007, March 2007, February 2007, January 2007, December 2006, November 2006, and earlier issues.

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September 2007, Vol. 51, No. 9

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R. M.

Posted: August 20, 2007 9:05 PM


If you watch the news on t.v. you will get the facts in their best form in which the world is the way it is because of the specific elements in it. Just observe the details in tandem and you will learn what the world is like. There are some questions that people ask to gain attention but history is self-explanatory.

Tina	Posted: August 20, 2007 8:48 PM


There will not be peace on earth until Jesus comes again regardless of what we do.

Ella	Posted: August 21, 2007 4:37 AM

In the Old Testament, it was NEVER the strength of the army of Israel that won the battle, it was ALWAYS the hand of God. Therefore, it is always and only faith in God that should be our response. Is a military response never the right response, as in defense of a country, or as in rising up against injustice? I don't truly know the answer to that. Our country was created based on a revolutionary war. But it was not fought with a "strong" military presence. It was fought by people defending their beliefs and the land they loved. I look at the teachings of Jesus who tells us to bless our enemies and pray for those who persecute us and I struggle with our military responses. It seems to me that if all of those Americans who profess Christ got down on their knees and followed Jesus' teachings...that maybe we would be seeing a different situation in the world today. Can you imagine the possibilities of the devoted prayer of that many committed Christians at one time???