[Nevermark]

A successful religion ties together so many valued things in people's minds, that it is very hard to fight the cultural dysfunctions it may promote, or has become entwined with.

Few other sources of dysfunction come with organized cultural generational reinforcement practices, systemic social respect and judgement, daily personal energy investment, family and friendship bonds, and both elite and grassroots level power classes that a religion can create. Not to mention the afterlife plans and ancestor reunions.

Note how reliably political polarization is associated with one or both sides weaving the sticky glue of religion into completely unrelated (and blatantly contradictory) partisan identities.