Why do people forget God the moment they become wealthy and prosperous?
Has religion always just been a coping tool for poverty?
pride
But the Pope is incredibly wealthy.
>And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Matthew 19:24
>>883291
Religion is a coping tool for being uneducated, poor, and generally having a miserable life.
When you take the majority of your pains and hassles away and have few worries then you have less to pray for.
>>883305
Beat me to it
>>883305
So Heaven is going to be majority black then?
>>883303
Not really, no. He's surrounded by nice things but those belong to the church.
>>883305
Never understood this. What's wrong witth being wealthy?
>>883321
Wealth corrupts you and takes you away from God
That's why Africa is the most religious continent
>>883321
>Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Timothy 6:17-19
It's a warning against materialism
>>883313
It probably reeks of fried chicken up there.
>>883321
Nothing as long as you're humble about it and not attached to it.
>>883333
Well. Now. Fuck you. Now I'm confused. But I think my hatred of the third world is greater than my appreciation of religion, so fuck that shit.
>>883321
You have to devote time and attention towards maintaining your wealth, which makes you lesser than someone who has nothing and can praise God 24/7.
>>883321
Because being wealthy is a form of idolatry; remember the Christian God is a jealous God, he doesn't want you to worship anything or anyone else.
>>883291
The correlation is caused by the influence of the west, which brings with it the ideas of the Enlightenment, which themselves entailed the destruction of religion.
This did not use to hold true. It's an effect of the destruction wrought by events in the 19th and 20th century which brought an end to religiousness in the west and destroyed eastern europe.
Also, is it me or is Ghana apparently above 100%? What is the Y axis' unit even?
>>883379
>which makes you lesser than someone who has nothing and can praise God 24/7.
If God is so perfect, why exactly is he so insistent people praise him without end? Is he insecure? It's actually rather disturbing how much he insists that humans focus on him to the exclusion of everything else. Sounds more like a demon. Even his 'reward' for the humans he likes is nothing more than "you get to praise me for all eternity~!"
Christcucks will turn around and try to explain that this isn't self-centered or egotistical behaviour, by some show of that ""discipline"" theology, by which you could argue anything is real.
>>883391
>which brings with it the ideas of the Enlightenment, which themselves entailed the destruction of religion.
This is stellar b8. The separation of church and state doesn't entail the destruction of religion.
>>883406
>The separation of church and state doesn't entail the destruction of religion.
Do you seriously think that is the only idea that the enlightenment brought?
No, the enlightenment also brought with it a disdain for the church and normalized atheism within academic circles.
>>883418
>it a disdain for the church and normalized atheism within academic circles.
Are you implying that's a bad thing? Oh, I suppose you're one of those who would have been perfectly content if 'The Golden Legend' would have remained a proper historical discourse.
>>883418
>No, the enlightenment also brought with it a disdain for the church and normalized atheism within academic circles.
So what? The most powerful country in the world, which was founded on Enlightenment values and thinking, is also the one of the most religious, proving you are flatly wrong.
>>883426
It is not a bad thing when in moderation, as it challenge's the Church's otherwise untamed power (especially in cucktholicism, which does not have a stable system of patriarchs to balance each other).
The destruction of the church has a direct effect in weakening christianity, leaving it prone to heresy, which further weakens it and creates the perfect "examples" for militant atheists to further dig Christianity out. Which is what I was trying to prove above.
>>883429
Do you mean the USA? Because I highly doubt your notion of religiousness fits mine. The USA is mostly polarized, with anyone who isn't barely qualifying as "religious" in my opinion.
>>883443
>Do you mean the USA? Because I highly doubt your notion of religiousness fits mine.
I don't give a shit what your notion is. In poll after poll, you have something like 45% of the populace in America thinking that Jesus Christ will literally return to Earth in their lifetime.
So you're wrong that Enlightenment values entail the destruction of religion, deal with it faggot.
>>883455
His point was that religion isn't taken serious in academic and scientific circles because of the enlightenment, as well its no longer the absolute basis for all laws either which is more important overall.
Had the enlightenment not happen that 45% number would much closer to 99%
>>883291
It's the other way around. Religion causes you to be less prosperous, by allowing you to be more easily deceived. Think about it. You go to a temple of some kind, and a man (presumably), tells you what to think. Your only duty is to believe that man. You do not question. You do not interject. You follow.
This being a history board, I should not have to remind you of the excesses and corruption of the priestly caste.
In today's Metro there was an ad for an African Spiritual Adviser, who offered services including tax services, criminal cases, voodoo, hoodoo, lost wedding ring, relationship counseling, and enemies. (I'd post a picture, but the online version doesn't have classified listings)
People like this are milking the faithful even as we speak.
>>883472
>His point was that religion isn't taken serious in academic and scientific circles because of the enlightenment
So what? Why should this matter to the average religious person?
And btw, he just shoehorned in the academic and scientific circles bit in a later comment, his original comment didn't mention that at all.
They can afford better education.
>>883405
>If God is so perfect, why exactly is he so insistent people praise him without end?
Because worship of Him is likely to lead to self-improvement. After all, hedonism and materialism are clearly warned against in the Bible. Meanwhile, departing oneself from material wealth and other desires is recommended. Take those two points and look at the world today: the most successful people in life are doing which?
>Even his 'reward' for the humans he likes is nothing more than "you get to praise me for all eternity~!"
Heaven and hell are merely spiritual/mental states. Heaven is when one fully embraces God and His love, whilst resisting worldly desires. Hell is when one rejects God and His love, plunging themselves into hedonism.
TL;DR Take 8th grade again so you can learn to look for allegories in stories
>>883333
>Wealth corrupts you and takes you away from God
Wealth "can" corrupt you. Having no money doesn't magically remove our greed, the source of corruption. We can have no money and still be corrupted by our desire for money. The key is to be detached and compassionate with money.
Becoming poor to kill greed is just as extreme and foolish as removing our foreskin to kill our lust.
>>883337
Yeah, that sounds good. I guess I have to read more of the Bible to get a complete idea.
>>883351
I agree.
>>883379
The man who has nothing still has to devote time to survival.
>>883390
Having money=/=worship of money
>>883521
LMAO
Harsh.
>>883321
Because it was the first century AD and rich or powerful people were almost 99% scum.
>>883321
>Never understood this. What's wrong witth being wealthy?
Being wealthy is not a bad thing by itself. The problem is, when you get attached to money. You start placing money ahead of being a good person. That's why Jesus said that. If you are used to an easy life, it is harder to not get addicted to it.
That's the same reason why the Church is against premarital sex and defends sex for the sake of procreation and couple bonding. It is not because the Church wants to make people miserable. On the opposite. People used to sleeping with many partners have a harder time having self control and most end up divorcing or cheating on their partners. They will be more likely to cheat and do other scummy things that end up making them shittier and miserable people.
The rules of the Church were created to make you a better person.
