CBNNews.com
April 4, 2008

One Alabama mayor is turning to God's Word to solve the skyrocketing murder rates in his city.

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford has been accused of not doing enough to fight crime. But he argues the city doesn't need more police officers, but more of God.

Langford is holding a family summit April 4, where he will hand out 5,000 bibles in English and Spanish.

"I'm gonna give you something far better than a gun to protect yourself with. I'm gonna give you the word of God," Langford said. "He is the only source of protection you've got. I make no apologies for it. I serve a good God and I'm glad He found me."

Langford thanked The 700 Club and its partners for helping to provide the bibles.

He said that if the people of Birmingham and the nation would put Christ first, there wouldn't be all the troubled families and crime-ridden cities across America.

There are 1332 churches listed in the “SuperPages” for Birmingham, Alabama.

There are 229,424 people in Birmingham, AL according to Wikipedia.

There are 311 churches in listed in the “SuperPages” for Madison, WI.

There are 223,389 people in Madison, WI according to Wikipedia.

Birmingham, Alabama and Madison, Wisconsin are roughly the same size cities according to Wikipedia and yet the difference in number of churches according to SuperPages is roughly 1000! Not a scientific comparison, but a rough one that serves a purpose.

Now, what is the comparison of crime between the two cities?

Actual Reported Population and Crimes:

 			Birmingham, AL	Madison, WI
 Population:		233,577		222,364	 
 Murder:		104		4
 Forcible Rape:		220		64
 Robbery:		1429		434
 Aggravated Assault:	1422		471
 Burglary:		4813		1619
 Larceny Theft:		12113		5404
 Vehicle Theft:		2081		475

Conclusion: Bibles and religion aren’t working.