Timothy Chen

The Religious Transaction Timothy Chen

Religion is a transaction.

Think about this: would you worship God if there was no heaven? Or what if worshipping Satan guaranteed heaven for you? Would you still worship God?

Like it or not, most of us expect something from religion (excluding atheists and agnostics). It could be wealth, happiness, knowledge, or a good afterlife. In return, we offer our praise and devotion. This is the religious transaction. For many, this may not even be a conscious transaction. Expecting blessings from God seems as natural as a baby expecting milk from a mother.

Inspired by the author's own spiritual journey, this book explores the most common transactions in religion. It structures and makes explicit our deepest desires from God. The goal of the book is not to answer the age-old question of whether religion is true. Instead, the goal is to help readers answer the question that really matters: Is God worth the effort?