Hector said:We probably all think we're immensly psychologically strong and would never succumb to doubt or the effects of advertising. But anyone who's experienced a previously strong friend or family member end up in nervous breakdown mode should appreciate how delicate our brains can be.
indeed - and we all think that religion is just harmless and a positive thing in people's lives... except those of us who have been part of a cult.
When you can look back at what appeared at the time to be perfectly reasonable and sensible behaviour, and see it for the cult induced paranoia and delusion that it was, it makes you look differently at religion.
I was involved in a christianity based cult, the church of christ the king - a complete isolationist bunch, with the whole "don't have friends outside the church, don't drink alcohol, don't listen to the radio ("worldly" music) etc etc etc.
it took many years to get free, but what I realise now - all religions are like this, only the degree of seriousness differs. Religion is about two things - authority, "this is how things are" and control, "this is how we (and by we, we mean YOU) should behave".
Except, as anyone can see, religion is wrong about almost everything - the earth is not flat, was not made in seven days, the sky is not a carpet with holes in it, thunder is not angry gods, you don't go to heaven or hell when you die, etc etc etc. The only things that religions are right about... are the things that people decide for themselves: do to others what you would like them to do to you, have com passion on the poor or sick, that sort of thing.
just my 2p.