The world in which we live is a terrible place with many problems. Some of those problems are natural, such as natural disasters or disease. Others, by contrast, are moral problems. Violent crime, theft, war, things like that.
Many critics of the Bible like to suggest the Christian faith is just one more moral evil in our world. There are many flaws in their reasoning, but nevertheless, it is often claimed that the Bible is the cause of many moral evils, and that even today, it continues to be a great moral evil, and we should do what we can to stifle belief in it.
Of course, the first flaw in this is that doing so requires many moral evils. Stifling religious freedom, censorship of fair and honest discussion, deceit, these are all things that would be required in order to get rid of Christianity (and it still wouldn't work, God will always protect His Church). But a greater flaw is that it would actually be better to let Christianity grow.
If you don't believe me, look at the world as a whole, and simply ask if it would be better or worse if everyone obeyed the Bible? The Bible tells us a great many things, a lot of which unbelievers don't like, but a lot of which they should be able to nod their heads and agree, yes, if the whole would believed this came from God, it would be a better place. Observe:
- Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. - Matthew 5:43-48
- Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. - Matthew 22:36-40
- Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. - Luke 10:36-37
- If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. - Romans 12:18
This is just a small selection of scriptures that would obviously make the world a better place. "But different interpretations". Are words so futile? Tell me, how do you interpret "love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you" as "hate your enemies, go forth and persecute them"? Even attempts to make the Bible sound evil require out of context readings that anyone should be embarrassed to attempt.
But of course, you can't just pick and choose with scripture. People definitely try. But it's just not realistic. It's intellectually bankrupt, it's hypocritical, it weighs on the conscience, and eventually you do end up choosing a side of the fence. So what about our favorite sins? Well, consider them. How is the world a better place if you're out there getting dangerously drunk, damaging your liver, impairing your ability to make rational decisions? Do you think God wants you to jump off a bridge singing "nananananana Bat Man"? Or what about sex? Again, tell me, how is the world a better place when you treat other people like means to your own pleasure, rather than having a unique relationship with one person, with whom you could potentially raise children? Ask any single mother, ask any orphanage, ask any deadbeat dad looking for excuses to skip out on his next child support payment. Homosexuality? What's so special about it that we have to fight a holy war against God just because He disapproves? Gluttony will harden your arteries. Gossip ruins lives. Even a simple white lie breeds mistrust. So how are our favorite sins so precious that they're literally worth throwing away world peace?
You could point to theocracies of the past, or just Christian governments with major flaws. But to borrow some logic from "Democratic" Socialists, true Christianity has never been tried. Look at every so-called theocracy, and tell me, upon what throne did God sit? None. It was always human beings, often just using God as a marketing strategy. Just as scammers can pretend to be the police in order to extort money from you, so also can con artists, or even well-meaning Christian politicians, use God in an unGodly manner.
True Christianity, unfortunately, cannot actually be enforced politically. True theocracy begins in the heart. The world would be a better place if everyone was a Christian not because the Bible would be enforced at gunpoint, but because a genuine attitude change in each individual would lead us to make a better world.
Sadly, this particular world will never come to be. The Bible does tell of a future in which Christ will return and reign for 1,000 years, but until then, we won't even come close to a true theocracy, and because of that, we will never experience world peace. But we can experience salvation. There is a world in which everyone does the will of God, and receives every blessing that results from that. It's called the Kingdom of Heaven, and its glory is so great, it echoes to us here on the earth, reforming its future citizens. But the immigration process is pretty rough.
Obviously, as the final stage of the process is physical death in this world, getting to Heaven was never going to be a nice process. But the good news is, the work has actually been done for us. The sins of the entire world were laid upon Jesus, and rather than us dying for them, He did. And He rose again. All who confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in their hearts God raised Him from the dead, will be saved. Alternatively? Death is still coming for you. Most people don't live long past 80 years. You will still face judgement by God. The problem is, you have rejected Him, and have committed many crimes on His planet. Crimes which made His once "very good" world significantly less good. Having rejected His grace, only one option is left open to Him. Eternal condemnation. No sin can bring enough temporary pleasure to be worth permanent wrath.