Why Religion Has Become a Business? Unveiling the True Motive of All Faiths

As humans, at the foundation of our being lies the need to have a higher being watch over us. The burden we bear in this world can get a little too heavy sometimes. When we can't see the destination in our long journey of life, the only place to seek help from is above. The fear of God has the power to move mountains. For if we fear God, the epitome of everything, we don't fear anything else in the world. The connection between you and the Beholder is intimate and personal, a beautiful relationship that helps you reach where you're supposed to be. 

Sadly, the very bridge that is supposed to connect us to our Creator is tainted. 

Isn't it ironic that sometimes, religion, a source of peace, can achieve the opposite outcome?  

Let's discuss how religion has become a business. 

Fun fact: annually, religion contributes $1.2 trillion of socio-economic worth to the United States' total economy, according to a study conducted in 2016 by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. To give you some perspective, this is equivalent to the 15th largest national economy, superseding 180 countries. 

Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless."

If business is run by profits, given the numbers, it is safe to say that religion is pretty lucrative. We are actively seeing the rise of entrepreneur pastors, charging thousands of dollars for people to get the best seat in the house for their sermons. In 2015, a renowned "televangelist," Kenneth Copeland, came under scrutiny for justifying exactly why he needed a luxury private jet to do his job. 

He infamously quoted saying, "You can't 'talk to God' while flying commercial." He said, "If I flew commercial, I'd have to stop 65 percent of what I'm doing." 

A successful business relies heavily on a need: a market willing to open its wallets to fulfill the scarcity within its hearts. People need faith for their own sanity through the turmoil of life. And it's safe to say people like Copeland are willing to cash in and make millions. 

Religion should be accessible to everyone. The relationship between God and His people should be without monetary barriers or red tape.

As Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." -Matthew 19:14.

Author Michael Caputo, in his book Never Forget What They've Done to Us: Counterfeit Christians 101, blows the whistle for the separation of the church and state, calling out the hypocrisy of Christians. He wrote the book to inform his readers why he has come to despise all organized religion, based on what he has seen and experienced in his lifetime to make him feel this way. 

Never Forget What They've Done to Us: Counterfeit Christians 101 is now available on Amazon.