Why do so many people fall victim to religion?

Question

Why do so many people get into religion and give their money away to churches when the churches are just taking advantage?

Answer 1

why do so many people fall victim to materialism?
Why do so many people get into self gratification and give all their money away to the churches of the holy dollar?
Don't you realize that the merchants are just taking advantage while they export your future overseas?

Answer 2

Pascal's wager - Basically, there is far less risk to believe in a divine being and be wrong then it is not to believe, and find that you were wrong. As to why people give their money away, some believe that they are obligated to give the church at least 10% of their earnings, and some believe that money can be a substitute for actual commitment to the church. Some churches argubly take advantage of their members, others are using the money to support endevours that don't necessarily merit belief in religion, like saving people's lives.

Answer 3

Religion has become a counterfeit for a real relationship with God. The reason there are so many different ones are because people are falling each other, like the Bible says, If the blind lead the blind they're both going to fall into the ditch. Find God for yourself, don't follow someone else, they can't save you.

As to churches, God's real church is made up of real people, not buildings, organizations, and so on. God's people will worship Him in spirit and in truth, and they will use their finances to help others instead of padding an orator's pocket.

Answer 4

There are a lot of lonely people out there who are gullible. They feel like they are being accepted and understood when they support these fanatics. Have you ever watched church shows on Sunday? The people want to believe in a crutch, and in miracles, and in anything that will give them peace of mind. They get satisfaction thinking that they are pleasing God with their $$$ donations.

But they are getting ripped off royally. Check out Trinity Broadcasting's Jan Crouch below. Or Don Stewart, who promises prosperity if you send him your money. Or perhaps the biggest fraud artist of them all, Robert Tilton.

Answer 5

I'm sad to see you have this point of view. All who truely follow Christ were brought to Him in humility. I, myself, fell victim to the sins of the world, and I crashed and burned in my sin. It was Christ who saved me and guides me. If you call this victimization, consider this. I accepted Christ after having gone to church much of my life. After doing so, I saw the wrongs of the church of my youth and broke from it, going to a church that teaches the truth of His word. By the way, there is a list of people who shared your view and set out to disprove Christianity. Yet they failed because where they sought falsehood to disprove Christianity, they found truth instead and became Christians. CS Lewis was an avid athiest until he failed to disprove Christianity, and became a Christian in light of the proof he found instead. I cannot answer about other religions, which do spread through heritage throughout generations and some through force (Islam spread mostly by force, for instance), but many have been lead to Christ because His word is truth. Check it out for yourself. Challenge the basis of your conclusion that peole are victimized by religion. Try to disprove Christianity, and you will experience why many have "fallen victim" and are "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20).

Answer 6

I would hate to fall victim to religion, but I certainly am glad to practice my beliefs....when u accept God & his word you are not a victim, then is when u have a new life. Hard to understand tho until u experience his forgiveness. Then, after u are reborn, he tells u to give 10% to the church so the church can help others.

Answer 7

There not falling victim, it's just they need support. Why do you think the idea of a greater being was created? To stop choas and restore order. Wouldn't you behave if you thought your immoratl soul was going to burn?

Anyway, it gives people something to lean against. It's their support and it gives them hope and makes them feel protected, loved and secure.

Answer 8

i'd like to edit my answer. this question was never directed towards any particular faith, just a query as to why people let themselves fall victims to any realigion. there are hundreds, if not thousands, of examples of this in any religion. giving ALL your money away to any church will not get you to paradise in any religion. and people let themselves get swindled all the time by the promise of exactly that. they just need something to believe in and so many are so desperate to find that that they become naive and let themselves fall victim.

also, i do not wish to attack any certain belief, but to comment maybe about certain people who follow such beliefs. it is contradictory of certain faiths to judge others. it is also contradictory of the nature of the source of your beliefs to answer with such tones and arguments. this question was never directed towards Christ, nor Christianity, yet there are still people who claim devoutness, while also contradicting a basic teaching of this faith. Christians, too, fall victim to their religion. this is a basic example. it's a need and a very understood need. i understand fully the commitment your faith takes.

it's like this, you need jesus, you love jesus, you would die for jesus, and that's the way it's supposed to be. but you have dug yourself so deep into this faith that it's everything to you, understandedly so. but you are forgetting basic principles of your faith. there's no need to condescend someone who doesn't believe in what you do. i can't say that i'm a christian, but i do know that it's not supposed to be that way. would jesus want you to speak to your fellow man this way? or condescend him, or argue with him, or judge him upon his faith? no, and that's what i see.

you get so deep, that you forget what it's about, and that to me is falling victim. you believe so deeply that you are willing to fight and raise arms with men, and that isn't right. don't let yourself forget what He teaches.

Answer 9

the poorer the person is the more they are told or pressured to give. it is absolute insanity and should be stoped. let people think for themselves, the mindless nuts have to go to church at least once a week to be told how to think. I can't believe it sometimes.

Answer 10

I think people give up and lose confidence in themselves...they turn to religion and it helps boost their confidence because it accesses the super-ego. My sister is a good example. She has no confidence in herself unless she's up the as$ of the prophet...lol