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Originally Posted by Phaneuf3
Well, there's a ton of different religions out there. I would say it differs greatly from Jainism or Buddhism in that regard but since I know what you're saying, lets just compare it to Christianity/Catholicism.
In the Catholic church you are free to come and go as you please. You can renounce your faith at any time without fear of physical harm from the church.
In the Catholic church any handing over of money is done purely at your discretion. Money changing hands is not a requirement of you receiving the teachings, sacraments, etc. You are not pressured to do so and certainly not to the point of your own ruin.
In the Catholic church its teachings are not secret and copyright and only revealed to you once you pay them large sums of money.
In the Catholic church you are not cut off from your family and friends.
In the Catholic church a significant portion of the money collected is intended to help the poor, hungry and needy.
Say what you will about the dogma, the effectiveness of their efforts, etc, etc. There is a huge difference in the intentions and the outcome of their actions between the two different churches.
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When I stopped going to church, church going people thought much less of me, and let me know it in very aggressive ways. One person even told me I was ruining my life.
Why do people choose religion as a vehicle to give money to the poor? Can we say one way or the other that religion makes providing for the less fortunate more effective?
As far as differences between Catholicism and scientology, the most obvious one is that the Catholic church is much older. Beyond that, they both have had their share of ridiculousness/irrationality.