Let me give you an example. I have a close friend who's really religious (hard core Christain). Often times, I ask him, "What would you do if .... blah blah". He answers, "The bible says I should ..... blah blah". I chuckle and try again.... saying, no I'm actually interested in what you think? What if its was up to you. Eventually I corner him and get him to admit the truth. In so many words he says, "It doesn't matter what I think". At that exact point, I pity him.
This person is not powerful, and never will be. He's a robot who's doing what someone else thinks, not what he thinks. A man wrote every single book in the bible. People who let others think for them are not, nor never will be powerful.
A lot of these people never really realized that what they're religion has done has taken their right away to think for themselves. The bible, Koran, or what-have-you never overtly says that, but in effect, that's what it expects and demands. You will.... you shall.... don't ask questions, don't expect to understand why, because "god" is a mystery. And then there's the extreme glory vs. extreme torment - reward/scare - tactics. I'm one of only ~ 5-10% of the world's population that smells a rat.