America's Wealthiest Relgions

Good/Column Five Media ^ | 02/23/2010 | Good/Column Five Media

[Clemenza]

Interesting chart that shows US wealth by religious denomination. I can't say that I'm surprised that Jews (46% with income $100K or above) and Hindus (43% with income $100K or above) are at the top. Us "unaffiliated" types are at 19%, right around the national average, as we tend to get both the research scientists, as well as the guys who live in their parents basements watching Star Trek.

Talk amongst yourselves, but, as always, keep it civil.

[Clemenza]

Talk amongst yourselves, but, as always, keep it civil.

[KarlInOhio]

Christian (historically black churches): 8% above $100,000.

Well, maybe because once a long time member (who can barely remember anything said there) gets a $400,000 per year job he quickly drops out of the church.

[Clemenza]

Good point, although it is also in line with earnings by race as well.

I was suprised that Catholics had over 30% in the bottom bracket. I would assume that many of these are recent immigrants from south of the border, or their American born children. While you will find many lower middle class white Catholics, you find very few living in poverty who aren't elderly.

[KarlInOhio]

The one I'm most surprised about is the Jehovah's Witnesses. I never really imagined them as significanly poorer than other religions.

[Jack Hydrazine]

How well are Mormons doing?

[Clemenza]

J-Ws in NYC tend to attract older black ladies for some reason. The J-Ws I’ve met outside of the area have been quite a mix economically.

[Clemenza]

Pretty good. I think the chart has them at 24%, which is higher than all Christian denominations barring the main-liners. Keeping in mind purchasing power parity in Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, and you see that said figure is better than it looks.

[SnakeDoctor]

In this rare case, I’m not sure being the wealthiest is entirely a good thing. A religion should speak to people across income classes — income-wise, you want your church to look just like the rest of the country.

In some respects, being too rich as a faith is worse than being too poor. If you’re too rich — you need to figure out why you’re not ministering better to the poor. Faith is often a haven for those in need ... why is it not in your case? For those that are too poor ... you may be running off the higher-earners, or you may emphasize ministry to the point that wealth is not a priority.

SnakeDoc

[Clemenza]

Comments?

[Uncle Miltie]

My Relgion is indeterminate, because I have no idea what a “Relgion” is.

My Region is Western.

My Religion is Orthodox Judaism.

[Clemenza]

Sorry Uncle Miltie, but I em a pewer spelar. ;)

[Uncle Miltie]

The “Journalist” makes the common, simple, and idiotic mistake of failing to differentiate between EARNINGS and WEALTH.

EARNINGS are what you make per year, a la $100,000 per year.

WEALTH is how much you have in net assets, accumulated over your life.

I know high earning people who have negative net wealth.

But hey, let’s not let accuracy or intellectual competence interfere with some good old fashioned envy creation.

[knittnmom]

as well as the guys who live in their parents basements watching Star Trek.

What about the parents who watch Star Trek in their living rooms?

[Clemenza]

The fact that said folks are PARENTS (ie found one person to marry them) puts them a class ahead of the adult male who lives in his parents basement.

I love Trek in all its permutations (though I am upset by the "alternate universe" of the latest film), but my GF has control of the big screen in our home.

[Spudx7]

My Mom works with VERY low income families (well below poverty line) and many of her clients are Jehovah's Witnesses. What does she think is the reason? Most social groups, even churches, tend to ignore or leave out very poor or low functioning people, at least in our rural area. JWs eagerly embrace and include anyone who wants to be there, they treat them as equals.

Many churches do reach out to the poor, but there is a difference between welcoming people at the door and socializing with them.

We recently joined a small, fundamental Baptist church. Very different from the large, Evangelical churches we have attended in the past. No class distinctions whatsoever, sadly, that's not always the case at some churches.

[parsifal]

Relgions? It’s these guys:

http://www.rael.org/

parsy, the helpful

[parsifal]

Relgions? It’s these guys:

http://www.rael.org/

parsy, the helpful

[presently no screen name]

"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

[knittnmom]

I’ve watched ST since my college roommate got me hooked on the reruns of the original series. I, too, like all of the permutations. I used to record them Saturday nights, then take the tape and our family to a neighbor’s house and our families watched the show together. The adult male in his parents’ basement is such a misrepresentation of ST fans.

[KarlInOhio]

I guess the JWs I'm most familar with are the ones who drop by my house. All seem like nice, middle class ladies who put up with a lot of crap from jerks like me.