Allegation: I believe that all religions are created for the purpose of manipulating people.
Answer: Please elaborate on this theory and provide evidence. I agree that all religious institutions throughout history have manipulated and suppressed the people with the Papacy as one of the longest existing and most sophisticated religious tyrannies. But I believe that this is not because religion in itself is created deliberately for the purpose of manipulation. It is rather than so that ALL human institutions (political, religious, cultural or economic) attract cold-hearted men and woman who – most often in the name of the “common good” and for the benefit of the poor and all that crap – develop into powerful, manipulating control freaks. If they are very clever they can operate larger and larger institutions with a very high degree of success. But their employees and the people they claim to serve are suffering. They surround them self with “cheerleaders” and wannabees – people who think only of their own benefit. The communist regime in Russia was One of the most brutal and manipulative societies that have ever existed in the history of the world. And it claimed itself to be none-religious. Lenin and Trotsky were as far as I am aware of never using religious arguments to deceive the Russian people into a totalitarian society.
The American Constitution deliberately excluded reference to established religions and to God. It has been said many times that this constitution is the best ever written. But the United States has often acted very suppressive and manipulative. Slavery, imperialism and many, many brutal militaries interventions against free nations.
Allegation: I believe that religious people are weak people and that religion offers them a crutch they can lean to and dream of a better life after this instead of coping with the often tough realities and difficulties fin this life.
Answer: It is difficult for me to see that all religious people are like that. I guess 2 thirds of the world are religious. Are they less accountable to lifes many duties than secular/atheist people?