The connection between wealth and religion has been a bone of contention for many years. In this article, we will talk about the top 10 richest religions in the world. After all, religion is a cultural system that often involves belief in supernatural powers and may intend to provide a moral system or meaning to life. Suffice it to say that religions must be entirely about faith and spirituality.
However, religion is very similar to any other organization that has income and expenses. Therefore, you can think of organized religion a lot like a business. Wealth is the status of a beneficiary or owner of a large accumulation of capital and economic power. In any case, there are many religions that are actually rich organizations.
1. Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is considered the richest organization in the world. It can be said that this is the greatest financial power on the planet. Their operating budget is in the hundreds of billions of dollars, which is far higher than some of the largest companies in the world.
As probably the most popular religious group in the world, the church is financially and physically donated. In fact, it is not surprising that the church has reached the top of the richest religions in the world. This is due to the fact that it is the most populous religious sect on the planet.
The wealth of the church lies in its history, from priceless works of art to first-class tourist real estate, the religion has managed to achieve a steady income that attracts its billions of members. The Catholic Church has some of the greatest works of art ever made in world history. He also owns huge gold deposits and billions of dollars in assets. The church also earns significant revenues from the tourism sector, as the Vatican is considered an independent city-state.
On the other hand, they have low staff costs because, as they enter the vocation, Catholic priests and nuns make a vow of poverty and own nothing themselves. Tithing is encouraged by the teachings of the church, and if you make calculations for one billion members, it is a large income for work.
Church assets are hard to come by, but the Vatican itself is full of billions of dollars in security assets and investments. The numbers are shrouded in secrecy, but the sheer size of church members ensures that it is always green.
2. Islam
Islam is a religion of tolerance, love, and peace. It is a strong belief that includes all social virtues and human virtues, and peace is one of the principles that Islam has deeply rooted in the souls of Muslims, and has become a part of their being, and it is the goal of Islam on earth.
Much of the wealth of religion is due to its presence in most of the world’s leading oil-rich countries – such as the Middle East. It is no secret that some of the richest nations in the world are in the small region of the Middle East.
The oil empire in Arab countries, the Middle East has been a symbol of wealth for many years. Since Islam is prevalent in this region, this is the motivation why religion is second in this conclusion.
3. Judaism
Jews have long been associated with wealth. It is said that the practitioners of Judaism have amassed the greatest wealth among all the believers in the world’s religions. This is not stereotypical profiling, as Jews are known to be skilled in the business world. Although Judaism is monotheistic, it is not homogeneous because it has many different views.
The largest streams and movements are rabbinic Judaism, Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Reform Judaism. In addition to their homeland in Israel, its members also have enough economic influence in the United States to form a powerful lobby that can influence and influence the decisions of political leaders.
4. The Church of Jesus Christ
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a separate religious group that is considered one of the fastest-growing and richest religions in the world. Its members are called Mormons and can be found everywhere, from Scandinavia to Japan.
Nearly 90% of the church’s finances come from contributions from members called tithes, in which members are required to give 10% of their total income.
5. Church of England
In a sense, the Church of England is also a form of Protestantism. It was formed only because of the desire of King Henry VIII of England to divorce Catherine of Aragon. This was something the Catholic Church would not give him. Although it started that way, the Anglicans became a huge religious body. Also known as Anglicanism, the church collects hundreds of millions in revenue each year through tithe baskets.
6. Episcopal
The Episcopal Church was founded in the United States in 1785 and has its origins in the Church of England in the American colonies. The church separated from Anglicanism because the clergy of the Church of England were forced to swear allegiance to the British monarch.
In addition to the United States, it has spread to various countries around the world. Its members are perhaps the richest in these countries, and this contributes to the richness of the religion.
7. Hinduism
All gods in Hinduism live in wealth. In fact, Hindu gods live in wealth and abundance and pious Hindu gifts of worship and appreciation of images for them. Not surprisingly, It is one of the richest religions in the world.
The Hindu ethos must be constantly striving for self-realization and self-knowledge, so this is not a system you ever “do.” The goal is to find mental and physical wealth through Hindu religious practices, and with such a large summary, it is lifelong persecution.
8. Protestantism
Protestantism is a division of Christianity that has many followers. Protestantism is essentially a separation from the administration of the Vatican’s headquarters. It actually includes any denomination in Christendom that denies the authority of the pope in Rome. Religion has existed since the 16th century.
He affirms the principles of the Reformation and believes in the primacy of the Bible as the only source of truth. Protestants rely heavily on the Bible for practical guidance, a viable guide, and many Protestant churches also depend on giving and generous commitments for money. These factors have made religion one of the richest in the world.
9. Non-denominational Christianity
Non-denominational Christians follow the basic principles of Protestantism without being subject to its denominations. There is also a modern and secular appeal to non-denominational Christianity. Many pastors who establish churches through this religion rely heavily on the regular tithe of church members for cash flow.
10. Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is dedicated to popularizing the belief system of Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard established the religion in 1952, separated from his self-help program called Dianetics. The Scientology religion works through subscriptions, in which a member of the church ascends to the church, paying the necessary fee.
This is an unusual setting for a religious organization, but it is liked by many celebrities around the world. Climbing the ranks costs many members. Registration fees are ridiculous, but they offer you purity of body and soul if you stick to them.
As you pay, you can rise up the ranks of the church to gain more respect and purity. This is certainly a good way to make money for the church.