It is said that the mentality in America where most people hate the homeless is political and that very few denominations teach prosperity gospel.
The way the term is described is as if it was just some televangelist thing
This is because they think that prosperity gospel means give money to the pastor to become rich or whatever. In the article they also point to getting certain other material benefits.
But it is not that hard of a leap of logic to think that if you think that being rich means being blessed by God in a Calvinist framework, then if you are poor it is because God hates you for being lazy.
I do think that many people think like that and lo and behold if you ask Reformed denominations they will call it prosperity gospel.
I don’t know if it is shame or something, but it is very clear to me that conservative denominations (especially ones that are historically descended from protestant movements) do seem to condemn homeless people as being lazy and deserving of poverty.
So do we have a map or list of what denominations believe something along those Protest Work Ethic lines, even if they deny it? Or they don’t call it work ethic, or prosperity or whatever?
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Because religion isn’t primarily about truth, consistency, or integrity—it’s about producing meaning, cohesion, and psychological comfort. In many ways, it functions as a delusion manufacturing system, offering palatable, emotionally satisfying narratives that people can buy into. The goal isn’t accuracy, it’s adherence.
As sociologist Peter Berger wrote:
> "Religion legitimates social institutions by bestowing upon them an ultimately valid ontological status."
(Berger, P. (1967). The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion)
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This rabbithole is deeper than I remember and my citation here is mostly secondhand and not definitive:
https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Courses/Solano_Community_College/SOC_002%3A_Social_Issues_and_Problems/14%3A_Religion/14.06%3A_Religious_Organizations
I at first thought Prosperity Gospel was a New Religious Movement, but refreshing now on church-sect-denomination typology I’d class it as a sect most likely.
I think what we’re seeing is an update to Calvinism that is syncretic with Capitalism. I was brought to such a church as a child and my mother (raised Dutch Reformed, daughter of local business-owner) stopped taking us when the pastor said if you don’t donate 10% (gross income [because render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s and render unto God what is God’s]) you are a freeloader.
When you come to church, you’re implicitly an investor. You put money in and it’s reasonable to expect to get money out at some point. Any time you get money after, you’re encouraged to view that as a gift from God that was a result of your donation. You made a spirtual investment and you received a spiritual dividend. You will be spiritually rich, and not just now, but in the heaven paved with gold.
Church too now is entertainment and childcare. There’s a whole industry of Christian-centered media around that largely doesn’t care what kind of Christian you are. What do we call that? Non-prophet?
To call Prosperity Gospel "what it is," you have to disclaim aspects of Capitalism and you have to be willing to divide the flock. In point of fact, some do regard Prosperity Gospel as a cult, as you can find people who call JW and Mormons. However, doing so weakens Christianity politically, but that’s a different rabbithole.
Sorry I’ve meandered and probably contibuted too much original research here. I hope at least bringing in typology is useful.
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They are not reluctant to do that.
https://tifwe.org/prosperity-gospel-harmful/
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-poverty-of-the-prosperity-gospel
https://www.epm.org/resources/2014/Oct/8/poison-prosperity-gospel/
https://www.gotquestions.org/prosperity-gospel.html
https://redbarnchurch.com/joel-osteen-and-discerning-true-faith-in-christ/
https://youtube.com/shorts/WCWyp7VQ_84?si=zvLwmTAZG5sBFy2k
https://youtu.be/PUJjUxyIwbA?si=c_YmJ_U11GSGjWlT
https://youtube.com/shorts/kmSKSwWz6zU?si=o0KhBhEsax-2fXvz
https://youtube.com/shorts/iK-9NMAEBT4?si=Xv37hSk6-tEaYUO7
https://youtube.com/shorts/LjvohhhWgGU?si=ommLwc3t9kkUtw2W
https://youtube.com/shorts/Pu0bi24yQyo?si=0xzefd7sjKYgUOBR
I could easily add a hundred or more links to people of faith criticizing prosperity gospel… and if you, OP, we’re to walk into any 100 random small to mid-size churches and ask about prosperity gospel, I would bet the farm that the leadership would condemn it outright.
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one of the rising experts on religion and politics, Prof Ryan Burge of Eastern Illinois University, devoted one of his substacks to this subject, drawing on his interest in statistical analysis. https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024/4/21/who-believes-in-the-prosperity-gospel
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