Religion And The State Are The Same - One Last Thing

I forgot to add one last point to the similarities between religion and the state. I thought of adding it to the original post, but I like keeping the posts exactly as they are when I publish them. I find that to be a more honest form. As of right now, I do not think I have edited any posts after I published them.

Anyway, the part I forgot to talk about was the collective element. In both religion and the state the individual is regarded as worthless without the religion or the state. In all religions there is constantly this talk of "a path" or "a way." Thus, suggesting, if not stated outright, one is lost if he is not on the religion's path. Basically, while one is an infidel or atheist he mindlessly roams around life as a heathen of some sort. Like some roaming animal, a yahoo of the herd. However, when he finds religion suddenly he knows how to act, knows his purpose in life. That is another part. God has a plan for each person. Of course, one has to ignore the free will part if he is to accept that. Anyway, if one is not listening to God or following God, he cannot possibly know his purpose, for God gives it to him. Furthermore, once one becomes a part of religion, to establish his worth, he must then sacrifice himself to the other followers, the cause, the unfortunate, to God. Therefore, his purpose, his worth, is just fodder and fuel for others. His worth is only established in his grinding down for others. Basically, before one finds religion he is a tree in the forest. When he begins following a religion, he is then a log in the fire. That is how he allegedly establishes worth.

The exact same thing is true for the state. I have written about this before in regards to Rousseau. In his books The Government of Poland and Politics and the Arts, Rousseau goes on and on about how one's civic duties are the definition of his life. One must spend several hours of his day studying local politics so as to make educated civic minded decisions. One must attend national sporting events, and other gathers to foster camaraderie among the citizens. Also a strong culture, one culture, that unites all the citizens must be established. The reason being that the state must be strong, for if the state is weak, it can be destroyed. In that case the people will then be unprotected; they will descend into a violent state of nature. Therefore, individuality is the enemy to the state. It causes a breakdown in culture, camaraderie, and government functions. Therefore, it is framed that the individual is worthless without the state. However, just like religion, one establishes his worth by being ground down into materials for the state.