Not Stark Enough

Rodney Stark, sociologist from the University of Washington, uses an economic model to analyze religious choices. He is against the idea that religion is irrational, and works to show the reasons why people choose to be religious. One thesis is that the more expensive the religious organization, the more valuable is it perceived to be. So, a church that demands a lot from its members (two years of missionary work, no sex before marriage, no drugs or alcohol, 10% of your income, etc.) will be perceived to be more valuable than a laid back church that demands little from its members.

But Stark fails to follow through on this thesis. Churches can also demand that you sacrifice your rational thinking and your ability to think for yourself. People willingly give up their own rational autonomy and give their lives over to someone else. This greatest sacrifice reveals the purposeful irrationality of religions.

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