An EconTalk podcast featuring GMU economist Russ Roberts about The Economics of Religion illustrates that religion in America is much more efficient at giving consumer what they want. The reason why this is the case is because, in America, citizens are given freedom to believe what they want, whereas in many other countries, religion is standardized and forced onto the citizens by the state. State control of religion tends to lead to stagnation in the market for religion.
If a religious organization works for profit then this gives workers in the religious services sector an incentive to innovate and compete, which leads not to stagnation and decline but to more vigor in the religious market, which allows more consumers to be satisfied. Turning religion into economic exchange will also boost the economy by boosting trade. The desire by religious companies to sell religious goods to consumers will increase employment by hiring people to write books, to print books, make memorabilia, etc.
Many Christian denominations in America charge their followers because they believe the Bible itself orders Christians to give 10 per cent of their income to God, that is, to give 10 per cent of their income to the church. This is called tithing.
Tithing is especially important among Mormons. Just about every Mormon tithes, and this disciplined tithing has made the Mormon church one of the largest religious organizations today.
Why then are there protests in Australia against Scientology? Scientology takes money from its followers but in return the religion provides services. Whether or not these services work or whether the stories are true or not is irrelevant. Many may laugh at Scientology stories about aliens but the reality is that all religions contain elements of superstition and wacky stories. If a religion did not contain any aspect of superstition then by definition it is not religious.
If we ban Scientology because its alien stories are not proven by scientific analysis, then if we apply scientific naturalism to all other religions we must ban all religions, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. All over the world about 75 per cent of people are religious.