|
I think it starts as a matter of networking and making social connections. But if you're (1) religious and (2) financially successful, you're likely to think it's your faith that's making you rich. And that's likely to make you attend church more often, tithe more ostentatiously, and help to fund your church in other ways. And (as in any potlatch-based system) doing those things will increase your prestige and help you get even richer.
So you and I looking from outside may know faith has nothing to do with it, but the person caught up in that sort of positive feedback loop would never believe us.
|