Ugly as such historical episodes are, it is equally important to remember the salutary effects of Christianity on Western civilization. A recent study by the American Bible Society demonstrates one of those effects. Ryan Foley writes:

The frequency and amount of charitable giving was most pronounced among the “Scripture engaged,” defined as those who receive a score of at least 100 on the Scripture Engagement Scale that is compiled based on an individual’s responses to “fourteen survey items about the frequency of Bible use and the impact on, and centrality [of] its message” to, their lives.

Ninety-four percent of the Scripture-engaged reported giving financially to charity in the past year, and their median amount of giving was $2,000. By contrast, among the “movable middle” . . . 75 percent donated to charity and their median donation was only $288.

“People who consistently read the Bible and live by its teachings are more likely to give to charity,” said the American Bible Society chief innovation officer and State of the Bible editor-in-chief John Farquhar Plake in a statement highlighting the chapter’s release. “Our data show that they also give far more—not only to their churches, but also to religious and non-religious charities.”

Yesterday, the Iranian foreign minister flew to Geneva to meet with European diplomats. President Trump, meanwhile, indicated that cease-fire negotiations might soon begin with Iran, which would presumably involve Tehran agreeing to make concessions regarding its nuclear program, while Washington pressures Israel to halt its military activities. According to Israeli media, Iran already began putting out feelers to the U.S. earlier this week. Aviram Bellaishe considers the purpose of these overtures:

The regime’s request to return to negotiations stems from the principle of deception and delay that has guided it for decades. Iran wants to extricate itself from a situation of total destruction of its nuclear facilities. It understands that to save the nuclear program, it must stop at a point that would allow it to return to it in the shortest possible time. So long as the negotiation process leads to halting strikes on its military capabilities and preventing the destruction of the nuclear program, and enables the transfer of enriched uranium to a safe location, it can simultaneously create the two tracks in which it specializes—a false facade of negotiations alongside a hidden nuclear race.