this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2023
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Religion. Whole cloth.
Username checks out.
That would just be a life philosophy like Stoicism. Religion implies there are non falsifiable beliefs involved.
Found the atheist
Sure a lot of people use religion as a business but just because some people take advantage of it doesn't make it a cult. The real scammers are the people who take adcantage of it and those people deserve the death penalty
Religions promise anything and everything but don't actually provide anything in return for time or money invested. It's the very definition of a scam.
It's no different than supplement scams or homeopathic pills.
I wouldn’t say anything. You could provide a sense of belonging, guidance etc but many cults also do that.
Now, many also promise eternal salvation and the like and that is 100% a scam. Literally the same as snake oil.
What exactly is religion not as a business?
I think it’s the opposite of what you’re saying (mostly bad, with some good apples), and in my years and years in and around all sorts of church’s it’s been the opposite - the good ones stand out, can get persecuted for it, and have an uphill battle ahead of them.
The system is set up in a way that the Leadership and participants would have to actively push against it in order to not be exercising power over others inappropriately. The Bible makes the promises: invest 10% of your income to the church, listen to the men in charge, obey your husband.