Want to increase the GNP? Preach about the doctrine of hell:
What makes economies grow? It’s a question that has occupied thinkers for centuries. Most of us would tick off things like education levels, openness to trade, natural resources, and political systems.
Here’s one you might not have considered: hell.
A pair of Harvard researchers recently examined 40 years of data from dozens of countries, trying to sort out the economic impact of religious beliefs or practices. They found that religion has a measurable effect on developing economies – and the most powerful influence relates to how strongly people believe in hell.
November 18th, 2009 | 11:15 am
Interesting, though it is common sense. If you don’t believe in any higher moral authority than it makes no difference how you conduct business. This in turn, would make people reluctant to do business.
Also, the writer misses the point about the parable of the talents.
November 24th, 2009 | 7:58 am
[...] HT: Joe Carter [...]
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