Religious & Mental Subservience?

It's easy to say that these are the best of times,state within which we go through each day. Karl
and they are the worst of times as well. People areMarx rightly saw that for many, religion is an opiate
beginning to awaken from their slumber: a spiritualthat numbs our feelings.
spring has sprung. The SOMNOLENCE of the religiousOrigen said, "People hear fables which they do not
masses is about to be changed. It won't feel right atunderstand." 
first; however, in the end it will all work out. HaveThe church has so promoted and postured itself
faith! wherein the lay person (knowingly or not) is
Religion is a unique aspect of our life.discouraged in any original thinking, or even loving
>We show ourselves as our heroic best and asquestioning. Too many rely upon the competency of
our tragic worst.the priesthood (that may not be such), and actually
>We stand strong for great ideals and wefears getting in trouble with "headship". This built in
surrender to delusions.cultural fear works wonders for the church, but does
>We're capable of great nobility and at the samelittle for the growth of those sitting in the pews.
time petty anger.Thus man abandons any attempts at reasoning and
This list is extensive but the above should get yourcertainly takes no theological detours.
head in the direction I want to go here.  Most of ourSubservience comes in many different wrappers. 
lives are lived out in a sort of lethargic malaise (thinkWhen it's wrapped in LOVE, it not only looks and
Jimmy Carter here) wherein unless something tragicfeels good, but it's GOD as well!
comes along we're not even aware of the hypnotic