Religion as a Business, Part Two
Caramanket’s post “Religion as a Business” does an excellent job at pointing out the ironic relationship between money and theology. Yet it brought up an interesting question: why are people always so shocked to discover that religion is run like a capitalistic business? Why does this relationship always seem full of “irony or hypocrisy” to us, as Caramanket said.
After all, this is not a new concept. Think about few hundred years ago. The Church in Europe had the power to tax the faithful, and it exercised this power often. Cardinals, bishops, and other positions within the Church could be bought with a little extra money. One could even purchase indulgences to lessen the time spent in purgatory.
Nowadays, money is no less connected, as Caramanket illustrated. Every weekly service, you are expected to place a small donation in the circulating collection basket. Church-goers are assaulted with pleas to fund improvement projects, social celebrations, or charities. You think you are a religious person? How much money have you contributed to your local church?
Since the beginning, religion, and not just Christianity as Caramanket demonstrates, has paid close attention to wealth and material goods. Yet despite all of this, people still fail to make any mental association between money and religion. It still strikes us as odd, ironic, or wrong. When, if ever, will people accept that money is a core part of keeping God alive?
After all, this is not a new concept. Think about few hundred years ago. The Church in Europe had the power to tax the faithful, and it exercised this power often. Cardinals, bishops, and other positions within the Church could be bought with a little extra money. One could even purchase indulgences to lessen the time spent in purgatory.
Nowadays, money is no less connected, as Caramanket illustrated. Every weekly service, you are expected to place a small donation in the circulating collection basket. Church-goers are assaulted with pleas to fund improvement projects, social celebrations, or charities. You think you are a religious person? How much money have you contributed to your local church?
Since the beginning, religion, and not just Christianity as Caramanket demonstrates, has paid close attention to wealth and material goods. Yet despite all of this, people still fail to make any mental association between money and religion. It still strikes us as odd, ironic, or wrong. When, if ever, will people accept that money is a core part of keeping God alive?
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