This entry title could begin a whole series of meditations on items found in library books, but I'll just mention what I found today: A laminated bookmark for an organization called OC International - Decision/Spain, which seems to be a fund-raising group to promote evangelism in Spain. Spain? Yes, Spain.

The bookmark presents 3 bulleted points intended to get my attention:
* 7000 people abandon their Christian faith in Europe every day.
* Islam has grown in Spain, half a million believers in ten years.
* Spain is the country of the western world with the lowest rate of evangelicals per inhabitant.

These three disparate sentences are clearly intended to instill fear (OMG) in a god-fearing person. I always wonder why fear is a preferred method of proselytizing, but anyway. Let's discuss the points:

7000 people abandon their Christian faith in Europe every day.
Of course, my first thought is, "Hooray!" *grin* Seriously, though, this isn't news. Excluding the US, the western world is abandoning religion left and right. However, I suspect this point was included because it's perceived as a threat. Puzzling.

Islam has grown in Spain, half a million believers in ten years.
Oh, I get it now! Following point #1 to point #2, I think they are slyly suggesting that those abandoning Christianity are all converts to Islam! Now that's just silly. Islam has increased in western Europe because of immigration, and not because 7000 Christians are converting daily.

Spain is the country of the western world with the lowest rate of evangelicals per inhabitant.
I'm not sure why this is threatening or even noteworthy. Everyone knows that Spain is historically Roman Catholic. But listen further: This organization's goal is "planting an evangelical church in every un-reached town in Spain by 2012." Wow. Just imagine for a moment that the funds used to build churches each year were used to, say, further education. Instead, it's being flushed down some gilt and bejeweled toilets. Heartbreaking.

FSM save us!

Secularism isn't threatening or injurious -- quite the contrary:
“Norway, Iceland, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom are among the least religious societies on earth. According to the United Nations’ Human Development Report (2005) they are also the healthiest, as indicated by life expectancy, adult literacy, per capita income, educational attainment, gender equality, homicide rate, and infant mortality. The United States is unique among wealthy democracies in its level of religious adherence; it is also uniquely beleaguered by high rates of homicide, abortion, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and infant mortality. The same comparison holds true within the United States itself: Southern and Midwestern states, characterized by the highest levels of religious literalism, are especially plagued by the above indicators of societal dysfunction, while the comparatively secular states of the Northeast conform to European norms.”

Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation