The use of Religion to control, manipulate, and gain power

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Of COURSE religion is manipulative. I'll go a bit further and say that the chief purpose of religion IS to manipulate people. I can't prove it, of course, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised to learn that every pastor, pope, imam, rabbi, etc etc, has - at his core - not believed the tripe they were spooning out. Clearly, however, they believed in belief.

Twain once said, 'Religion was invented when the first con man met the first fool.' I've seen no evidence to doubt the truth of this.

Boru