Bart Ehrman May Shed Light on the Christian Response to Charleston, South Carolina

[Jenny A]

Churches and temples have been burned and looted since there were churches and temples to loot and it doesn't seem to do more than cause followers to double down on their faith. Most Christians I've known didn't and don't expect god to protect them from violence, illness, or poverty.  They think of faith as a way to support oneself in trouble, not an shield from trouble.  They may be more shocked at violence in a church then elsewhere, but only because they expect their fellow human beings to have more respect and not because they think god is defending it.

The Christian martyr card played with more and more frequency by Christians in the U.S. particularly evangelicals is troubling.  But I don't think the black community in Charleston is going to let them have it.  It was obviously a racist act by an extremely unbalanced person, and that's the way it will play.