Organized religion is most definitely a tool (one of many) made use of with alacrity by not just royals, but by ANYONE in a position of power, except Communists who are religious about being anti-religious. ;-D Some other mind-control tools are: patriotism, money, race, status, class, material wealth, party affiliation, and so on. Religion is only one of them.

In the case of Communists or certain extreme socialists, their chosen religion is Communist/socialist theory instead. It's equally pernicious, because it is driven by the same dour fanaticism and naked power-seeking that characterizes fundamentalist religions.

The secret of the Christ is simply to love everyone, including yourself, and to love all of life as well. All of it.

That's virtually impossible for about 99.999 percent of the human race at any given time, which is why it's a secret that will remain a secret (or a myth) as far as most people are concerned.

The churches may talk about it now and then, but they are just as unlikely to realize it in practice as most individuals are.

To the extent that a person is willing to love others (and self), and not judge or condemn them or self harshly, and to love life, that person is free. Most people are not very free at all, regardless of what they may imagine about their social or political freedoms. Most of them spend their whole lives walking around in self-imposed mental chains.

I make no claim to have achieved that freedom...but I do at least know of it. That's a start.