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THREAD: Religion and Finance: PART 1 - My Views and Biases
Please lookout for the rest of the series.
Part 2 (Tues): The Raw Data
Part 3 (Wed): The History
Part 4 (Thurs): Contemporary Issues
Part 5 (Fri): Q & A – Tweetchat (#AskDrTayo).
Please lookout for the rest of the series.
Part 2 (Tues): The Raw Data
Part 3 (Wed): The History
Part 4 (Thurs): Contemporary Issues
Part 5 (Fri): Q & A – Tweetchat (#AskDrTayo).
1/ I was born in a Christian home and embraced the religion of my parents. I am a practicing Christian and my faith is quite important to me. But I am also a scientist. I believe in data and research, and I try to integrate science and my faith into a coherent ideology.
2/ Faith and doubt coexist in a weird amalgam in my mind. Reminds me of the guy who said, “I believe, Jesus, please help my unbelief”. I am relatively well-read so I am aware of multiple datapoints that cannot be explained by my faith. That knowledge breeds religious humility.
3/ My core ideologies are egalitarianism and utilitarianism.
Egalitarianism: All humans are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.
Utilitarianism: We should live and act in ways that produce the most good to the greatest number of people.
Egalitarianism: All humans are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.
Utilitarianism: We should live and act in ways that produce the most good to the greatest number of people.
4/ Therefore:
Utilitarianism: I give more of my income to charities that truly make a difference than I do to churches.
Egalitarianism: I am quite open to other people’s views and religions. I have good Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, and Atheist friends, and I love/respect them all.
Utilitarianism: I give more of my income to charities that truly make a difference than I do to churches.
Egalitarianism: I am quite open to other people’s views and religions. I have good Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, and Atheist friends, and I love/respect them all.
5/ I believe that religion is a personal rather than political movement. Every time religion tries to take over the state, the state wins and takes over the religion.
That’s how American Christians lost the moral high ground with their support of a morally deficient politician.
That’s how American Christians lost the moral high ground with their support of a morally deficient politician.
6/ I believe religion has mostly been a force for good in the world.
We can cite instances where religion has hurt people (Irish Catholicism, Islam & terrorism, Hinduism's castes, and Money Pentecostalism etc.). But we can also cite millions of cases where religions has helped
We can cite instances where religion has hurt people (Irish Catholicism, Islam & terrorism, Hinduism's castes, and Money Pentecostalism etc.). But we can also cite millions of cases where religions has helped
7/ Let me say this again.
Religion has mostly been a force for good in the world. The vast majority of religious people are “salt of the earth”, good, kind, society-building people. They want to help people and serve their Gods with their finance.
Religion has mostly been a force for good in the world. The vast majority of religious people are “salt of the earth”, good, kind, society-building people. They want to help people and serve their Gods with their finance.
8/ 3 core research questions for tomorrow:
1. Do religious countries/states/individuals do better financially than their secular counterparts
2. Does prosperity-gospel Pentecostalism produce better financial outcomes?
3. Do the wealthiest individuals have religious beliefs?
1. Do religious countries/states/individuals do better financially than their secular counterparts
2. Does prosperity-gospel Pentecostalism produce better financial outcomes?
3. Do the wealthiest individuals have religious beliefs?
Thanks for reading.
4/ Clarification. I believe churches do make a difference and I give to churches. But a vast majority of my donations go towards charities that meet physical human needs like food, shelter, education, healthcare etc.
Part 2 is here:
Part 3 is here:
