@ Jack Ratekin - Compare the percentage of fatherless boys in Canada vs. the U.S. and you may be on to the correct conclusion regarding the cause of criminality.

Over 50% of those who caused auto accidents in the Western world play race car games. Conclusions?... Correlation is a far cry from causation.

No kidding, K. Smith! Apparently correlation is causation? Also, good article.

Jack Ratekin - I think we need a lot more facts before we can link Christianity with the level of violence in the US.

This article made me laugh out loud--really great. I completely understand the anxiety the author discusses. Really good read!

"... to issue the necessary syllable from the rocking-chair of calm." That is a worthy goal, Rhoda, and one that truly does open ourselves up to saying yes to God. It's a skill Jesus demonstrated as well (Mark 1:35-39), so developing it seems to me to be part of conforming to the likeness of Christ. Cheers, Tim ( timfall.wordpress.com )

Yeah, this is familiar! You know what's helped me? Knowing that if someone is upset by my answer, that it's not my problem. It isn't! Yes, I can be sad that they're upset, but if my "no" is reasonable (99% of the time, saying "no" *is* reasonable!), how they react to that "no" is their problem, their issue, their fault, not mine! It is not up to me to save the world. It is not up to me to do everything. That's God's business, not mine. If He tells me to do something, then I should do it. If it isn't Him telling me, then I have every right to say "no". I do not bear responsibility for anybody else's happiness or wellbeing. I can help, yes - but should I help? Depends. (BTW, I read your book. I'm Mennonite myself, by culture, so of course I had to pick it up! It gave me plenty to think about.)

Here's an interesting fact: Canada is the 4th most peaceful country in the world, While the U.S. ranks in the bottom half. The United States has almost twice as many Christian churches per capita as Canada. Conclusions?.....