Gods Children.

[Jerrybaldy]

............

[YesNo]

Justin Barrett in "Born Believers" provided a survey of studies of child developmental psychology showing that belief is innate or instinctual to our species. It is not caused by social conditioning. So brainwashing isn't going to remove it. Particular religions and even various atheisms attempt to guide this innate belief into their desired directions. Some of them more or less succeed.

I don't think people who "Have religion" feel "hopeless", but it is hopeless to try to remove religions that rest upon this innate belief. A lot of damage can be done in the short term, but the next generations, sick of their parents' delusions, will revolt and bring it all back.