On Friday, 29 May 2015 12:52:03 UTC+1, Martin Smith wrote:

He famously said there is more money in religion than writing science
fiction

That just means there are a lot of people ready, willing and able to part with their money, not that he was lying. Originally religions were a way of stopping politicians stealing more than a tenth of everyone's money.

If there are no other takers, tithes are a fair system for dealing with greedy rich people. Unfortunately that doesn't make the greedy rich people share everything, nor does it prevent them asking for more.

Since ancient days, people have dealt with crooks and liars robbing them by going to live somewhere else. Equally traditionally, poor people have dealt with this sort of behaviour by clubbing together to buy boats and going off on holiday in them to rob rich emigrants.

If you find that happening a lot as L Ron Hubbard did (so I heard) gang up in a large rich man's church and enslave your parishioners. When Mr Hubbard did it it was called being a war hero I heard he was a spy in the Pacific in WW2. I'm not certain. But it was a brave occupation if he was honest about it.