Whatever their denomination, most evangelicals believe that American culture has become too permissive; abortion, gay sex, pornography — all strike them as indicators of how far we have slid from more wholesome ways of life.
This disparity in pay is one of the starkest indicators of how far we have to go before we achieve equality between women and men.
But, sometimes what makes a country proud is actually a poignant indicator of how far behind it lags.
AK's performance will be a crucial indicator of how far Mr Erdogan can push the peace process without endangering AK's enduring popularity.
Not only will the four results provide a good indicator of how far Portsmouth have come under Redknapp but they could also shed light on how the early stages of the title race will shape up.
"Disney certainly is an indicator of how far things can go today, which was probably unthinkable a few years ago," said Carol Bowie, director of governance research services at the Investor Responsibility Research Center in Washington.
The overwhelming support for the women — and Trump's plummeting poll numbers — are an indicator of how far our ideas about sexual assault have shifted since the Clintons were last in power.
"The Li Zhuang case is so important because it is an indicator of how far China has come on its legal reform," said a Peking University law professor, He Weifang, who has also posted a sharp criticism of the case on his blog.
And while "A Cat" didn't collect an Oscar on Sunday, the industry's recognition of it and other festival films, Mr. Beckman added, "is an indicator of how far the festival has come in terms of trying to 'define up' what is meant by films for kids".
Furthermore, an indicator of how far the system is from being passive is defined.
