Does being more religious help make people more financially successful?

[UdoKier]

Does being more religious help make people more financially successful?

[jody]

1. The Bush family preys together and look at their success. n/t

[UdoKier]

2. You misspelled "prays".

Oh, wait. You didn't.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. YES! if you're a Charlatan like Farwell the Crouches(TBN) or Benny Hinn

pat robberson, the bakers, jimmy swaggered, etc...

[havocmom]

4. Maybe convincing ones self that if they 'believe' all is forgiven, so it's

OK to behave badly in business, since forgiveness is taken for granted?
You know, do unto others before they do onto you then go to church. Seems some folks operate that way in business.

That and the PR/networking thing makes it easier to get ahead. Checking scruples at the office door makes it easier to screw others. Making nice at church when one hasn't really behaved in a very Christian manner makes it easier to sucker the next victim? Works for Falwell & Robertson.

[starroute]

5. There's a kind of feedback mechanism involved

I think it starts as a matter of networking and making social connections. But if you're (1) religious and (2) financially successful, you're likely to think it's your faith that's making you rich. And that's likely to make you attend church more often, tithe more ostentatiously, and help to fund your church in other ways. And (as in any potlatch-based system) doing those things will increase your prestige and help you get even richer.

So you and I looking from outside may know faith has nothing to do with it, but the person caught up in that sort of positive feedback loop would never believe us.

[Droopy]

6. Not really

I'm a Buddhist and I live in a two bedroom bungalow and drive a truck for a living (I wouldn't have it any other way, either). My dad's been a Christian his whole life and he has a similar home as me and works at the post office.

I think it is possible that people who are religious may work together to help each other out and become more successful, but the same thing can be accomplished by being a member of any social club. Religious people are not more successful because God is smiling on them. Hell, I'd be poorer right now if I were a Christian. I would have to tithe 10% of my income.

[DinahMoeHum]

7. Religious, no. Spiritual, yes.

As someone once told me, religion is for people afraid of going to hell - spirituality is for those who have already been there.

Furthermore, if you read up on people who have TRULY made their millions - the Warren Buffetts, the John Templetons, the George Soroses, etc., they will tell you that a spiritual outlook served as guidance for their success.

John Templeton, for one, has a foundation that looks into links between science, religion, and spirituality.
Link:
http://www.templeton.org/

There's also an online catalog of books that look into mental/spiritual practices and financial success:
www.fourstarbooks.com
http://www.4starbooks.com/personal.html

:smoke:
Hopefully, I've just given you a few keys and clues here.

:smoke:

[kiraboo]

8. A brief look at world history

will inform you that religious faith has nothing to do with material wealth and the opposite is probably true.

[Village Idiot]

9. It does NOW.

[idiosyncratic]

10. It depends. In Utah, you better be a Mormon if you want to be

financially successful.

However, Jehovah's Witnesses are so concerned with the end of the world, it seems to preclude becoming financialy successful.