Any perceptive person will soon notice that the advertisement doesn't match the actual product, and become disillusioned

The problem for me is that strong religious conviction, of almost any denomination, tends to shut OFF perception. This isn't true necessarily of private, personal religious experience -- but once people start to gather in groups and compare notes and rely on agreements and the written word, the whole practice of perception seems to go wonky. I have tremendous personal faith, but I can't handle any religious system -- other than saying prayers with my husband every day.

I went through a long period when I let strong group-belonging conviction pretty much bury my own inner morality. Then I had to grow up, which meant drawing my own moral beliefs out of their coma and letting them come back to life. Miraculously, they had survived quite well.