Just a theory

[Wyrd of Gawd]

I know this is very far fetched but hear me out.  I was thinking about religion (I am newly atheist) and thought that maybe religion was originally made to keep early humans in order.  Before police and jail and law at all.  Think about it, if you couldn't keep people under control and there were no laws, what would you do to keep people from killing and stealing?  I know what I would do.  I would come up with a story in which people who do bad and immoral things get punished after they die, and people who do great and kind things live in a perfect place after they die.  Sound familiar?  I honestly believe that religion could have originated from an early human form of "law"

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Kindest regards,

Kb

I don't think that the facts fit your premises in the case of the Jewish / Christian traditions. Perhaps it has been used this way by some, but it doesn't fit the foundational core of these religions. 

Even if this is not the case, would it be fair to turn this type of thinking around, and speculate that the reason for atheism is that people just want to be immoral?  Are you an atheist because you want to kill and steal without consequence (so long as you can get away with it)?

According to the biblical fairy tale it was the religious twits who were the killers and thieves.  Need examples?