Was Christianity started to control the masses and dictate poltical agendas

[Whateverist]

I have always felt this to be true. I do know that this is a very common theme I have heard and read as well. That religion was created to control people and the proper way to do that was to use the deterrents of hell and a vengeful God. I do know the Catholic church really grasped onto this. For instance, they did not allow regular people to read the bible; only priests could. Was this to keep out all the stuff they did not want the masses to see? What are your thoughts?

You couldn't think up a thing like god belief from scratch with any reasonable expectation of selling it at a profit.  But god belief predates capitalism by a long way.  So with all these suckers walking around with inbuilt god holes, there was an obvious opportunity for a profitable business plan.