Pyramid schemes causing social harm in China – crackdowns may not be working

Re:Pyramid schemes causing social harm in China – crackdowns... by viraptor on Monday February 05, 2018 @06:17AM (#16308091)

> Instead of large immediate rewards that can't be kept up over the long term, they rely on hopes about the indefinite future (e.g. paradise)

I think that's ignoring many immediate things people get from religion. Immediate sense of belonging, getting to listen to someone who's "got life figured out", getting some motivation, and many other reasons. Whether that's provided by a megachurch, a local friendly priest, an MLM convention with a charismatic speaker, or another way doesn't matter. I met a masonic priest who joined the group because his wife died and he needed people who would take him out for dinner once a week.

I come from a country that's virtually 100% Catholic (or at least was) and don't believe that many people really cared about the final paradise. Or at least that wasn't really the reason they turned up to the church every week.

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Re:Pyramid schemes causing social harm in China – crackdowns... by yorwba on Monday February 05, 2018 @06:43AM (#16308199)

I classified those "immediate things people get from religion" under "benefits that are proportional to the size of the community". The point I was trying to make is that successful religions avoid the cycle of frenzied growth and collapse by not making promises that are likely to disappoint their adherents.

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