The Marketing of Religion

This is the most basic of all marketing principles: Tell the customer clearly what's in it for him or her.

It's the golden rule. You can forget about all the other rules, tips and principle but not that one. Regardless of what you are selling or who you are selling to or where you are, it doesn't change the fact that consumer benefit must be the selling point. 

Think about it, a night cream promises to make you look younger, a shampoo promises to make your hair bouncier, a pair of basketball shoes promises to make jumping easier, an infant formula promises to make your child well-nourished and a bank promises to treat your money like it's theirs. 

We are always convinced that doing something will provide us a personal benefit. 

It's an age-old trick and even (probably) the oldest institution, the most pure of them all used it, religion. 

Religion, regardless of what it is, promises salvation. That's what in it for us when we join a religion, a place in heaven for us with God.

Fortune Teller, Faith, Destiny and Control. 

It's a very attractive deal especially if you consider the alternative, perpetual burning in hell. 

So, as I was sitting in church last Sunday, listening to how this heaven and salvation thing was supposed to work, I couldn't help but realize, marketing was the first "power" God the Father passed on to man and especially His Son. 


From the get-go, Jesus Christ was dangling the "benefit" to humanity, believe in Him and his Father and thou shalt be saved. Do what He says and thou shalt have eternal life. 

God the Father even used other marketing tricks. He put on a show for the world. He found a virgin to become the mother of His child and mysteriously help her give birth. He let Mary and Joseph wander in the cold night with no one accepting them for the night. How so dramatic. 

He gave Jesus Christ a loving mother and made Him grow up in a poor family. You can't help but be empathic. 

Jesus Christ used a different marketing trick. He was a networker, a master of the pyramid scheme. He recruited 12 apostles and asked these 12 to recruit more. 

Marketing rules this world and the most powerful being is the master of it all. 

BUT...

what if there is no piece of meat to dangle? What if God tells us now that there is no heaven, that this is all we have, here and now. 

What if God tells us He doesn't intercede nor does he meddle with affairs of humanity, that he gave us all the utilities to live our lives and it's up to us now. 

What if He says there is no salvation, that when we die, we die.

What if He tells us that serving him and believing in Him brings us nothing but the security of knowing that we are following what is good. 

What if God doesn't offer salvation? What if God doesn't offer eternal life? Will we still follow Him? Will we see the point of it all? 

What if God doesn't offer anything in return, will we love Him still?