"And I said: 'O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.'" (Ezra 9:6)

The Swedish business journal Svensk Export Strategi rated 19 industrialized nations according to their sinfulness. The criteria were the seven "modern deadly sins"; smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, overeating, night life, and prostitution. Spain came out on top, mainly because of its gambling and night life. France, with its high consumption of alcohol, was next. The United States' drug abuse earned it the rating as third most sinful nation. At the bottom of the list were Sweden, Finland, Norway, Portugal, and Japan. (From Northwestern Lutheran, January, 1997)

The writer of Proverbs said, "Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." (Prov. 14:34)