02260cam a22003013u 45000010005000000030007000050050017000120060002000290070005000310080041000360400011000770410017000880500007001051000032001122450065001442640051002093000047002603360026003073370026003333380036003595000031003955080048004265201335004745340045018096530045018548560042018999990017019411558UtSlPG20260610133046.0mcr n260607r1998||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aBL1 aSinclair, Upton,d1878-196814aThe Profits of Religion: An Essay in Economic Interpretation 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c1998  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  aRelease date is 1998-12-01  aProduced by Charles Keller and David Widger  a"The Profits of Religion: An Essay in Economic Interpretation" by Upton Sinclair is a critical analysis written in the early 20th century. This work examines religion from an economic perspective, arguing that it serves as both a source of income for clergy and a tool for maintaining social privilege and oppression. Sinclair uses evocative and satirical language to critique how institutionalized religion exploits its followers, connecting spiritual beliefs to financial gain and societal control.  The opening of the book introduces the concept of "Bootstrap-lifting," a metaphor for how individuals labor under the illusion of spiritual elevation while being victimized by those who profit from their beliefs. Sinclair vividly describes a scene where people strain to lift themselves by their bootstraps, while a pickpocket reaps the rewards of their distraction. This introduces a series of critiques regarding various religious practices, asserting that many so-called spiritual exercises distract from the material realities of life and facilitate exploitation. Through these observations, Sinclair sets the stage for a broader examination of religious institutions as impediments to social progress, establishing a provocative foundation for his economic critique of culture. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aChristianity -- Controversial literature40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1558  c43674d43674