A couple weeks ago I ran a survey on what my readers thought about sinful employment for Christians. The results are below.
Sinful Employment for Christians
The first survey was about what forms of employment would be sinful for a Christian. I received well over 100 responses to this survey, but the survey company I used only allows me to see the first 100 responses for free. I didn’t want to pay to see the rest. I have made the result public, and you can go see them yourself here: Sinful Employment for Christians
Here are the questions and their responses:
- Is it wrong for Christians to serve in the military?
Yes: 11%
No: 89% - Is it wrong for Christians to work at (or own) a casino?
Yes: 44%
No: 56% - Is it wrong for Christians to work at (or own) a buffet restaurant (because it encourages gluttony)?
Yes: 5%
No: 95% - Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a bank or investment firm (because they sometimes promote greed)?
Yes: 5%
No: 95% - Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a television or cable company when one of the channel packages includes pornographic material?
Yes: 37%
No: 63% - Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a secular publishing company when one of the arms of that company publishes pornographic material?
Yes: 48%
No: 52% - Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a bar or liquor store?
Yes: 34%
No: 66% - Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a medical marijuana dispensary?
Yes: 31%
No: 69% – (By the way, check this out… a Christian Pot Shop!!! - Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) an abortion clinic?
Yes: 84%
No: 16% - Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a strip club?
Yes: 84%
No: 16%
Analyzing the Survey Results
One of the drawbacks to that “free” version of the survey site I used is that they only allowed 10 questions. When I initially wrote this survey, I had about 20 questions, and also had room for people to leave feedback and explanations for why they answered as they did. On the one hand, I am glad that I was limited to only 10 questions, because it made the survey easier to complete, but on the other hand, I am super curious to know why people answered the way they did. Thankfully, some people left comments on the original post which helped explain their answers. If you took the survey and want to add further explanation in the comment section below, feel free!
Also, some people pointed out that the questions were not well asked. Very true. For example, rather than ask, “Is it wrong for Christians…” I should have asked “Would it be wrong for you…” Though many Christians try to state universal rules for all Christians everywhere about these sorts of topics, many Christians realize that what is wrong for one Christian may be perfectly okay for someone else.
As you look over the results above, are there any surprises for you? What are they?
I think what would be most interesting is if we could have First Century Christians take this same survey. From my own reading of what early Christians believed, I think most of them would have said it would be wrong for a Christian to serve in the military and in the banking industry. Also, many of the biblical prophets come down pretty hard on greed and gluttony, and even Paul has some harsh words for those who overeat (1 Cor 11). Yet our society sees nothing wrong with these sorts of things. I am not saying we are wrong… We live in different times in a culture with different values.
I personally work in a job that many people would find quite compromising. I regularly have discussions with Christians who think that I am sinning by working where I work. Early Christians might agree. Some days, I agree too!
Yet I think that part of following Jesus in this world means taking the light of the Gospel to places that otherwise might have no Christian witness at all. If we are not lights in the darkness, there would be only darkness. As I have written elsewhere, when we seek to follow Jesus, we must not be surprised when we follow Him to the gates of hell.
Besides, if we tried to have a place of employment that was completely free of all sin, we would not be able to work anywhere! All businesses, companies, and organizations (even churches) have sinful habits and behaviors which compromise various aspects of Christian values and ethics. Thankfully, the grace and forgiveness of God is without limit!
Pardon my lack of surprise but it always seems to come down to “sex” doesn’t it.
Ha! Sometimes it does. Yep.
I was fascinated by this survey and I appreciate you posting the results. Thanks for asking these questions. If nothing else it caused me to examine what I thought was wrong and why or why not and probably more important whether or not I could back up my reasons with Scripture.
You’re right, the way that it was worded made it more difficult for me to answer. For instance, would there be a fundamental difference between working there and owning the business?
The questions also didn’t attempt to ask what kind of job at that business would be right/wrong to do… When I answered the survey, I automatically thought of working at the strip club to mean being a stripper or perhaps a bartender. I was talking to a friend of mine about this and he said he would be fine with a christian working at a strip club. I was a little astonished at this answer and asked would he let his wife become a stripper? He said, no but I would take a job as a janitor at the club. Cleaning the building wouldn’t inherently be wrong but it would give him an opportunity to interact with the owner and perhaps even the other workers there and be a light there. I thought that was an interesting idea. Perhaps it’s the same with the other businesses you mentioned like the casino or the cable company.
I was also interested in the minor discrepancy between questions 5&6. Both related to pornography; both mentions companies with a portion of their income coming from pornography…but some people answered differently to each. Any idea why?
Ian, you make a very interesting observation about questions 5 and 6. I wonder if the difference has to do with how WE view the motivation of the company. The publishing company is making money from the pornographic material. Whereas the cable company is providing a service to their customers which happens to include pornogrphic material.
Ian,
Yes, the questions raise some food for thought. I was a little surprised at some of the answers as well, and have no idea why there is the discrepancy between 5&6.
Many years ago I sat with a man who said it was wrong for Christians to drink. When I asked him why, he said it was not because the alcohol was wrong, but because purchasing beer and wine supported companies that used that money to support causes which were contrary to the Kingdom of God.
I found it interesting that on his coffee table he had magazines such as TIME and PEOPLE which are printed by companies that support causes which are contrary to the Kingdom of God. As soon as we start making arbitrary rules, it quickly becomes impossible to live them out consistently.
So Jeremy,
You work at an abortion clinic right? Not a janitor there, but perhaps a crisis counselor or something… At least that’s the feeling I get from your editorial below the survey. KIDDING!
Just thought I’d pick from one of the most polarizing survey results. Not surprising to me.
M.
I am glad you were kidding! Yes, that is probably the most polarizing issue on the list. I 100% agree that there are women and staff at abortion clinics that need to hear about the love and forgiveness of Jesus, but for myself, I could never work at one. I would love to talk to a Christians who could.
1. Is it wrong for Christians to serve in the military?
Yes, because the military of the US does not serve the people, it serves global sots and the “military industrial complex”. To serve the gods of this world by putting ones hand in agreement with destroying other nations and taking peace from the work is a crime.
2. Is it wrong for Christians to work at (or own) a casino?
No. You are not putting one’s hand to directly assist another in a crime.
3. Is it wrong for Christians to work at (or own) a buffet restaurant (because it encourages gluttony)?
No. You are not putting one’s hand to directly assist another in a crime.
4. Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a bank or investment firm (because they sometimes promote greed)?
Yes, but not for greed reason. Investment banking is direct involvement in a heinous crime of counterfeiting real money and robs each and every person on the planet of some of the value of their labor. It is withholding the wages of labor. Scripture’s handful of comments about money are easily glossed over without recognizing the extreme significance. This discussion is worth about 4 hours.
5. Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a television or cable company when one of the channel packages includes pornographic material?
No. You are not putting one’s hand to directly assist another in a crime.
6. Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a secular publishing company when one of the arms of that company publishes pornographic material?
No. You are not putting one’s hand to directly assist another in a crime.
7. Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a bar or liquor store?
No. You are not putting one’s hand to directly assist another in a crime. (Alcohol consumption is not a crime.)
8. Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a medical marijuana dispensary?
No. You are not putting one’s hand to directly assist another in a crime. (Use of herbs for treatment of disease is not a bibilical crime.)
9. Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) an abortion clinic?
Yes. This is direct involvement in commission of clear bibilical crimes.
10. Is it wrong for a Christian to work at (or own) a strip club?
Yes, certainly, to own. Variable depending on role in the strip club for the worker, if you get my meaning. 😉