Resolved Question

Here’s what it all boils down to… MONEY!
“Money?” You say? Yes MONEY!

Religious leaders (RLs) are like politicians fighting over a federal budget for the biggest slice of a pie for themselves and their own districts.

More people in their congregations = More “tides” / contributions = More $ at their disposal

Now, more $ at their disposal = more $ for the RLs own personal needs / wants AND/OR more $ to build their congregation (by media broadcasts, fancy (and I mean fancy) places of worship etc. etc.).

And the viscious cycle continues.

Now here comes every RLs WORST NIGHTMARE. A bunch of free thinking people who say “You know, we don’t need the concept of one particular religion or “God” to go through life and deal with life’s issues. There’s enough knowledge out there and critical thinking in here to figure things out for ourselves.” (and they call themselves Atheists).

The RLs now says “these guys are threatening our INCOME.” We can’t have people dealing with their problems on their own. We have to make them feel that THEY NEED “GOD” (us, the RLs) to solve their problems.

So the old rule applies. We are enemies right now (the RLs). But the Atheists are our WORST ENEMIES; and, if we both have the same enemy, then we (RLs) are friends (at least when it applies to hating/fighting Atheists!

And there you have it!