Is there a correlation between religion and poverty?

I was just paging through the book Where Are We Now? The smartest, clearest guide to the issues that shape our world by Mitchell Beazley (Octopus Publishing Group, 2008).

The book contains a chapter on religion (pp. 56-59).

It is sad to see that outside US evangelical crusaders, and Arab oil-barons, the reality of religion is very sad.
It seems that religion actually thrives in dirt-poor communities and countries, and that furthermore, these poor people are deliberately marketed and fleeced by religious campaigns.

Beazley seems to put it all down to stress, and religion is simply "stress control" according to his argument:

A correlation between strong faith and economic hardship, observable in many parts of the world, is often explained in terms of religious belief providing solace against stress.

(Beazley, p.59).

I guess that gives religion a function and a role at least, apart from just ripping off the implied "uneducated" and "desperate" people.

But is that all it does?
Does it just relieve stress?

I am not sure what you mean by "correlation". Do you mean, because someone is religious, or because a region is religious, there will be poverty? Or vice versa? Because all the major Abrahamic religions make it very clear that helping the poor is necessary and that the meek and poor will be the ones to thrive in the next world. I can definitely see that there would be a correlation in that religion would speak more to the poor than to the rich, but I am confused if that is the correlation you are speaking of, or if you think that religion CAUSES poverty.

reply to post by halfoldman
Well in regards to the vatican, they are part of the 1%. A group that helps enforce the monetary system and subsequently poverty. I think the correliation would be the fact that people who follow a religion are being brainwashed and not able to look at the big picture; ie they care that people are in poverty but not why.

reply to post by halfoldman


50 percent of the people of Mexico do not profess a belief in God. What is the percentage for Africa?

Religion is not a crutch, it is a luxury.-----------------------

I don't know if there is a correlation between religion and poverty, but their is a correlation between poverty and denomination.

en.wikipedia.org...

The denomination started as a church that ministered to the homeless and poor, and wanted to keep that attitude of ministering to "lower classes" of society.

seriously? Is there a correlation between mass murder and atheisim? It seems atheisim thrives in countries that have dictators that kill their own people.
Why was the soviet union poor and why isn't north Korea an economic power house?

reply to post by halfoldman


I think the fact of the matter is that religion provides hope. If someone close to you dies it is comforting to believe you will see them again someday. If you are poor it is comforting to believe someday, in the afterlife, you will live rich. Ect. ect.

I don't subscribe to any organized religion for obvious reasons, but life would be much easier to cope with sometimes if I did.

So I think the correlation between poverty and religion is real and stems from the belief that someday things will be better.

Obviously, there are other reasons such as being uneducated and cultural dogma but that's outside the scope.

reply to post by spacekc929

Well I'm just wondering about that myself.

But one should remember that some religious people take money and make all kinds of promises.
Give your tithes and pay the pastor and all kinds of prosperity awaits you.
In that sense religion is just a theatrical leg of the global politics we are getting.
Pie in the sky.

reply to post by halfoldman

I guess that gives religion a function and a role at least, apart from just ripping off the implied "uneducated" and "desperate" people.

But is that all it does?
Does it just relieve stress?

The idea of death can be very stressful, and religion prays on those that fear death.

Techcnically they're selling what everyone wants... Eternal life.

Many people believe that if religion has the solution, then following what they tell you as a means to "save" yourself from death is a huge stress reliever wouldn't you say?

Originally posted by PrimalRed
seriously? Is there a correlation between mass murder and atheisim? It seems atheisim thrives in countries that have dictators that kill their own people.
Why was the soviet union poor and why isn't north Korea an economic power house?

edit on 18-11-2011 by PrimalRed because: (no reason given)

Most of the mass murders of our time have been BY people who are religious....sorry
I know i know....they ARENT true christians....Anders Behring Breivik was a christian....but he was only pretending wasnt he

There is a correlation.

As you can see from this:



EDIT: Right click and View image to be able to read the data on the picture....

Also look here:

www.infoplease.com...

The poorest nations are the most religious countries.

reply to post by halfoldman


Dear halfoldman,

Do you not know what the bible says, it says to pick up your cross daily, it says that to be a believer means that your life will only get harder. You have just proved the bible true, is that what you intended or did you think that the bible promised believers heaven on earth, because it does not. In essence, the bible says that if you believe in God then you will accept the troubles of this world because your true "pleasure" is in loving others without being selfish and worrying more about your own pleasure than worrying about others. Be well.

Originally posted by PrimalRed

seriously? Is there a correlation between mass murder and atheisim? It seems atheisim thrives in countries that have dictators that kill their own people.
Why was the soviet union poor and why isn't north Korea an economic power house?

Perhaps, but that's all very stressful.
Bring on the Lord!

By the way, it's easy to speak of other countries (as I know), but a huge train of popular and academic thinking here views the US as one of the most restricted and fascist societies on the planet.

edit on 19-11-2011 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)

edit on 19-11-2011 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)

Originally posted by loves a conspiricy

Originally posted by PrimalRed
seriously? Is there a correlation between mass murder and atheisim? It seems atheisim thrives in countries that have dictators that kill their own people.
Why was the soviet union poor and why isn't north Korea an economic power house?

edit on 18-11-2011 by PrimalRed because: (no reason given)

Most of the mass murders of our time have been religious....sorry

There is a correlation.

As you can see from this:

Also look here:

www.infoplease.com...

The poorest nations are the most religious countries.

Bad statistics, not all religious leaders have been madmen that killed their own people. Pretty much ALL the atheist ones have. Why don't you google-fu a chart of that for me.

I live in new Zealand, and in a way agree here there is a bit of a correlation. We have a church in nz called destiny church. It definitely preys on the poor. Convincing them to give up percentages of there already low incomes and give It straight to the church- or more likely to their wealthy leader, Brian tamaki.

It's disgusting.

Originally posted by AQuestion
reply to post by halfoldman

 

Dear halfoldman,

Do you not know what the bible says, it says to pick up your cross daily, it says that to be a believer means that your life will only get harder. You have just proved the bible true, is that what you intended or did you think that the bible promised believers heaven on earth, because it does not. In essence, the bible says that if you believe in God then you will accept the troubles of this world because your true "pleasure" is in loving others without being selfish and worrying more about your own pleasure than worrying about others. Be well.

So people in poverty need to shut up and accept that we are more worthy of 'gods' love then them?

In the U.S., the least educated states are the most religous states!!

People who educate themselves see right thru that nonsense called religion.

yeah...there's a big correlation between religion and poverty...all the churches keep all the money donated to them, and anytime someone asks a church for help, they're denied....televangelist Oral Roberts....built an empire of suckers, many years ago.......told his congregation...his tv viewers....he needed $8 million dollars by the weekend, or god was going to take him.....he just passed away, early last year.....the church of jesus christ of latter day saints (the mormons)....have so much much money, the us government recognizes them as a corporation....not a church.....anyone seeking help from any church...any religion....will not see one dime, because of their greed..they all refuse to help anyone...i see no difference between organized crime and organized religion.

People often come to God when they experience difficult situations. It could be poverty. It could be something else, too, like sickness or abuse or having somebody close to you die, or many other things.

Poor people are under stress so they come to God. I bet if you did a study of people with serious diseases you'd find that they have a higher percentage are religious.

The common element isn't poverty, its suffering.

God tests us through suffering of all sorts. But His reward is an eternal reward.

To the extent that there is more religion found in the poorest nations and communities in the world, I think there IS a correlation but perhaps a different one than is apparently assumed. The truly religious people who give a great deal of their time and effort to the Church are also the ones most likely to do Missionary work or outreach work in the developing world.

So couldn't it be quite likely the correlation comes in religion actively seeking out the poverty to assist and show compassion to rather than being some kind of cause as some would suggest?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

Good point.

Of course the book doesn't specify which religion(s).
It's all variations then of the same hocus-pocus.

So if religion supplies "stress relief", then Hinduism in the large population of India seems very effective, for example.