Interesting idea, McGrath, but I still fail to see...

As an addendum the 'opiate for the people' citation by another famous communist, Lenin:

Religion is one of the forms of the spiritual yoke which always and everywhere has been laid on the masses of the people crushed by poverty. The weakness of the exploited classes, in their struggles with their oppressors, inevitably produced a faith in a better life in the next world, just as the weakness of the savage in the struggle with nature led to faith in gods, devils and miracles. Religion teaches such men, who work and endure poverty all their lives, humility and patience by holding out the consolation of a heavenly reward. But the exploiters are urged by faith to do good on earth, because in this way they think to win justification for their existence and a sort of ticket of admission to heavenly bliss. Religion is an opiate for the people, a sort of spiritual vodka, meant to make the slaves of capitalism tread in the dust their human form and their aspirations to a semi- decent existence...

(from 'Socialism and Religion')

Wolfgang (I tried the replace trick with this citation and it sounds awful)