Political dangers of institutionalised religion

In part, this is because they free their adherents from the hard work of critical thinking. Thus, they are often held onto tenaciously. Because ideologies distort reality, they are particularly unsuited for those aspiring to power as well as their devoted supporters. History is full of examples of politically powerful ideologies that underscore this fact: fascism, communism, various military cults and even the ideology of democracy as manipulated by corrupt elites, who play the Pied Piper to the masses.

Yet there is still one more ideology out there which, even now, wreaks havoc by either claiming for itself the trappings of secular power or attaching itself in some influential advisory way to the institutions of power. That ideology is religion in its various institutional manifestations. I want to emphasise that I am not referring to the personal religious convictions of millions by which life is made to appear understandable and meaningful.