A lot of people think that economic growth is not compatible with religiosity. This is not true. Religion is not just about your preferred vehicle to the afterlife. Religion is not just about worship and service of God or the supernatural. In a certain way, religion can also be thought about as Human beings’ relationship to that which they regard as absolute or deserving of special reverence. You need to understand that economic growth does not happen in a vacuum. It is shaped by the beliefs of the people. From the richest sheikhs of the Middle East, to the Americans. You must understand that they are bound to certain things they consider to be absolute. Those things shaped their culture and set them up for economic growth.
When you look back in time, the wealthiest and most powerful people-groups have always had some kind of religious identity. Culture drives economic growth. Religion, on the other hand, shapes culture. It appears that many billionaires of American origin claim to be agnostic or atheist. This obscures the fact that they were shaped by Christian homes. They grew up in an environment shaped by Christian values of love, hard work, integrity and selflessness. Religion has a role to play in economic growth. Religious leaders need to be conscious about the role they have to play in economic development.
Thinking of religion as a problem is deceptive. Eliminating religion will not result in the economic growth we seek. Your task is to investigate the religious beliefs that influence your world. Consider the values they promote as well. Basic Christian tenets of love, integrity, work ethic, service, and selflessness are proven drivers of economic advancement. If your brand of Christianity isn’t instilling these virtues in you. Then you are engaging in a corrupted form of Christianity. The task is not to eradicate religion. A more useful campaign would be to promote a religion that aids in the formation of a productive culture.
