Interesting stuff, John. The Nazi movement was indeed very messianic and mystical/religious in tone, combining the more conservative aspects of oldtime Catholicism with a lot of harkening back to the Norse Mythos, and then melding those with "modern" innovations such as genetic theories about an Aryan race of supermen (read: "chosen people") who would use the most advanced forms of technology to usher in a "New World Order".

Yes, it all does sound kind of familiar.

I don't blame any of this on organized religion, per se...I blame it on people's tendency to use the most autocratic and narrow-minded varieties OF organized religion to further the most unholy of worldly ambitions. You can use science that way too. The church did not invent the Hydrogen bomb, nor was it their idea.