Granted he is in what I believe to be a cult religion, but he is the man, and a man's man at that!
All present day, "reputable" religions were once cults too. The world doesn't have room for another religion. That's why many "start-up" religions have trouble. The established religions have been around for so many years that they have become accepted as legitimate. For all one knows, David Koresh (Waco, TX 1993) could have been the next Jesus or Messiah if given the chance. Every religion has some outlandish mystical beliefs that have never been proven to have actually occured.
Religion is what you choose to believe. You are born into a particular religion. God is not a sole entity belonging to a particular religion, but rather an energy we create and energize.
Man has the mental capacity to comprehend a force greater than himself and conceptualize it as a god who presides over a particular religion. In primitive times, the world/universe had a very complex structure that man could not understand due to the lack of science and technology available. What could not be easily explained through humanly pragmatic thought was assessed/concluded to be attributed to a higher being who oversaw and had great discretionary influence over our existence. In other words, god was responsible for the unexplainable. The church was an important spirtiual part which provided direction and guidance to those willing to believe.
Religon provided a means to a proper and pious life which meant success and good luck. Every religon has the same generic framework. There are rules which one must adhere to in order to benefit in the afterlife. One is promised
eternal bliss for living a finite mortal existence within a defined set of rules or behaviors.
Anyway, at some point during the enlightment period, science had advanced to the point of debunking many truths of the church. Clearly, science was becoming more reliable than religion.
Society requires cooperation, otherwise chaos will soon ensue. The three main devices in place are Religion, Penal Law and Moral/Ethical codes. These facilities help maintain predictable order and cooperation and provide a line of defense.
One needs to instill the fear of an all-knowing and seeing god inside a child. This child is developing their understanding of and interaction with, soceity. They must be groomed to fit in and obey the laws which have been created to ensure a stable people. That child must be made to believe that even if no one is looking, a omnipotent god lerks, who knows and see all. Laws and moral codes also provide and promote similar modes of conduct.
anyway....
