Does church make people good?

Or do good people generally go to church?

The Maximum Leader’s mea culpa and Phin’s comment had me flashing back to working in Baltimore.

The citizenry of Baltimore is very religious.

And would have acted much the same way as the citizens of New Orleans.

I was constantly stunned by the melodramatic proclomations of Christian belief from kids who were dishonest, selfish, profane, promiscuous, drug-using thugs.

I also have many friends who are not religious but who hold themselves to a very high moral standard. A good example would be my good friend the Minister of Propaganda. He’s honest, hardworking, generous, loyal… well, he’s a walking book of virtues except for that whole celibacy thing.

So, in my experience, the term “churchgoing” doesn’t necessarily equate with “moral.”

In many areas, churchgoing folks do tend to be good people as well. But are they good because they believe in God or because basically good people get involved in community activities like church?

Maybe the breakdown isn’t religion - maybe it’s a rural vs. urban thing.