Welcome to Breakpoint, daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of Unchanging Truth,

with the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

A recent report by Barnard Research listed the top reasons people question Christianity,

among those who claim to be Christian, practicing or otherwise, the problem of human suffering

topped the list at 23 percent, followed by the hypocrisy of religious people, 22 percent,

and conflict in the world, 19 percent.

Among those who claim no faith, religious hypocrisy was far in a way the most cited response,

identified by 42 percent as the reason behind their doubt about Christian beliefs.

Christians have long faced the charge of hypocrisy in various times and places.

Around a century ago, G.K. Chesterton addressed this topic of hypocrisy, specifically those

who boasted of their humility, sought worldly success, and then trumpeted it when they got

it.

Like Chesterton, we should not be surprised when Christians fall short of Jesus' commands,

and theologian put it this way, quote, to be a member of the Church is to carry the mantle

of both the worst sin and the finest heroism of the soul, because the Church always looks

exactly as it looked at the original crucifixion, God hung among thieves.

Until Christ returned, we will continue to face accusations of hypocrisy.

Many times, we will have earned them.

At the same time, the results of this Barnard study are caused for optimism.

Though about half of Christians have experienced doubt in the past few years, there's also

an unprecedented openness to questions about spirituality and faith from the general population.

74% of U.S. adults now say that they want to grow spiritually.

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