Why can't Christians as a group be as moral as atheists?

Question

The number of Christians in prison far outweighs the population of atheists, and the studies account for the difference in overall population: "Note that atheists, being a moderate proportion of the USA population (about 8-16%) are disproportionately less in the prison populations (0.21%). "

http://www.holysmoke.org/icr-pri.htm

Also:

http://www.skepticfiles.org/american/pri...

"A great number of people "BECOME" Christians when they go to prison."

Provide data. It would have to be massive to make a difference and you need to overcome this: "In "The New Criminology", Max D. Schlapp and Edward E. Smith say that two
generations of statisticians found that the ratio of convicts without
religious training is about 1/10 of 1%."

(The religious training is BEFORE they go to jail.)

http://www.skepticfiles.org/american/prison.htm

"Maybe that is because there are less Atheists than Christians in the normal population,"

This was accounted for. Please read the question before responding. Thanks.

"Blacks and Hispanics are the vast majority of prisoners, and they are overwhelmingly Christian."

You are equating race with a personal belief system that supposedly teaches morality. Why should race matter?

Answer 1

Well in a society that is mostly christian, atheists are atheists because they bothered to think about their beliefs analytically. People in prison are not generally thinkers. If they were, they wouldnt have tried to hold up that liquor store.

Answer 2

Just because people say they're Christians doesn't mean they are. Christian means to be like Christ. So those committing crimes are not truly Christians. However, in some countries, Christians are still being arrested and executed, although they haven't done anything morally wrong, except break a law that may have said something like "you can't be a Christian or you'll go to jail." Or something like that.

Answer 3

Morality is equal between the groups. This Christian's in prison stuff is propaganda. How many became Christian's after going to prison? Also you know a Christian by their works people can say they are Christian's but it doesn't make it so.

Answer 4

Because Christians rely on God for their morality, whereas Atheists tend to think their actions through more thoroughly. This is only generalized, I'm in no way saying all Atheists are smart and no Christians think.

Answer 5

Faith tells them to act a certain way, in order for higher rewards in the afterlife. Atheists have a more pure undiluted view when it comes to world issues, starving masses are simply starving masses, not a plague brought on by higher powers.

Answer 6

Because being thoughtless enough to do something that puts you in jail is pretty much the same non-thought process as believin' in Jeeeeeesus!

Answer 7

That's an effect of race and education. Blacks and Hispanics are the vast majority of prisoners, and they are overwhelmingly Christian. Prisoners also tend to be poorly educated, which taps another overwhelmingly Christian population.

Answer 8

Christians have different sets (& sects) of morals amongst themselves. That where the trouble came it.
One up for the atheists!

Answer 9

Maybe that is because there are less Atheists than Christians in the normal population, and so it is represented that way in prison too.

Answer 10

I one time had an atheist tell me that if it weren't for the law, he would have no problem killing someone over $5. And he was serious. That doesn't seem quite so "moral" to me.