Why is being part of a religion a rational economic decision?

[MRT144]

Put aside any of the existence of god issues, etc etc.

What are the benefits of going to church especially if that church limits the benefits you could have? Also couldnt you just fake being a religion without contributing tithes, following rules etc etc and gain any possible benefit?

Someone explain the benefits of organized religion and church.

[LordShiva]

Building churches creates jobs

[Last Conformist]

Being burned at the stake diminishes your earning potential.

[BeBMan]

Protestant work ethic

[DRoseDARs]

The Church is obscenely wealthy. Martin Luther is not amused...

[lord of the mark]

the most obvious economic benefit is networking opportunities. But equally obvious you can get those by showing up, you dont have to actually believe anything.

old joke:

"Mr. Cohen, why do you go to shul every week? Mr Levine I understand, he's very pious, but you're a complete atheist."

"Levine goes to talk to God, I go to talk to Levine"

[MRT144]

Originally posted by LordShiva
Building churches creates jobs

but you can do this without being part of a religion. You could do this without even following the rules of the religion that you say you belong to.

why is it rational to join a church, and be a paragon of the faith?

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by MRT144
but you can do this without being part of a religion. You could do this without even following the rules of the religion that you say you belong to.

Being a true believer probably makes you more likely to try and raise the money for, and then decide to spend it on building, a place of worship.

[MRT144]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
the most obvious economic benefit is networking opportunities. But equally obvious you can get those by showing up, you dont have to actually believe anything.

old joke:

"Mr. Cohen, why do you go to shul every week? Mr Levine I understand, he's very pious, but you're a complete atheist."

"Levine goes to talk to God, I go to talk to Levine"

I am most amused by this!

Its basically where I was going with this whole thing.

[MRT144]

Originally posted by LordShiva


Being a true believer probably makes you more likely to try and raise the money for, and then decide to spend it on building, a place of worship.

But what gain do YOU personally get out of a communal building? unless you're paying yourself. Should you really pay yourself if the object of the church was for the greater glory?

[BeBMan]

Re: Why is being part of a religion a rational economic decision?

Originally posted by MRT144
Also couldnt you just fake being a religion without contributing tithes, following rules etc etc and gain any possible benefit?

Sure. But you also could just fake to be an org helping hungry people in Africa, aids victims etc etc and raise lots of money from people who don't know you actually spend it for sex and drugs

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by MRT144
But what gain do YOU personally get out of a communal building?

Fewer jobless people in your community

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by MRT144


I am most amused by this!

Its basically where I was going with this whole thing.

yah but, theres the "jew jitsu"

Cohen, by coming and talking to Levine in shul, is reinforcing his belonging to the people of Israel, which is itself a holy thing, and so he is pleasing G-d, who has the last laugh.

[MRT144]

Originally posted by LordShiva


Fewer jobless people in your community

So theres a one time net job gain that ends when the church is built. Im not thinking about the community economics, Im thinking about the economics of being a parishoner. The community doesnt have to be part of the church to build the church.

[Asher]

It's all about the cliques. Long ago, before Laz admitted he was addicted to smoking, he extolled the same virtues about being a smoker -- it's great for networking.

The same is true for being gay, as luck would have it. Back at IBM I was frequently eating dinners with groups of upper management as part of the gay employees association of IBM. Not only did we get many free meals, but I got great connections out of it that helped me swing my current job.