Rather than getting people to give up their religion in total, it would be
easier to get them to give up the more oppressive elements, as part of an
act of societal accommodation. Like the Mormons giving up polygamy in
exchange for Utah Statehood. Gay rights are triumphing in many countries
not because people are being forced to see the falsity of their religion, but
because they see the humanity of the people whose rights are being
oppressed. So, they conveniently “forget” that portion of their religion, or
interpret it away, just as they did for slavery. Joseph Campbell saw this too.
Religion can function without harm in society once its fangs of cultural
oppression have been drawn and people recognize it as a symbolic and
emotional interaction between humans and their world. Religi