Why Strict Religions Succeed

The video explores trends in religious membership, highlighting the growth of conservative denominations and the decline of liberal ones. It introduces the strict church theory, which suggests that demanding religious groups thrive by screening out free riders through costly signaling. These groups offer benefits like resource sharing and social cohesion. The theories are morally neutral, focusing on empirical data. The video also applies these theories to understand sectarian communities, often labeled as cults, and concludes with recommendations for further study.

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