The reason that throughout history the religion of rewards and punishments has dominated the more pacific forms of religion is because this harsh form suits the needs of the established authorities: kings, aristocrats, dictators, and governments.
So the official forms of religion have always tended to be punitive.
And, like the elites' rule on earth, this was defended by violence: crusades, trials, and inquisitions.
Any one who deviated from this orthodoxy was subjected to torture and death.
So it is little wonder that this negative form of institutional religion dominated.
Napoleon said that if the Catholic Church had not existed he would have to have invented it. So compatible was its teachings with his dictatorial rule.
Religion has always been used to subjugate the masses.
This was the reason that Communists declared themselves atheists.
But this is throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
It is yet to be seen whether modern democratic societies can maintain a religious spirituality which is not based on rewards and punishments.
Can Aquarius resist the temptation?
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