Do you really think that Christians don't think for themselves, but this mysterious deity known as God thinks for them? Well, if that's the case, all Christians should think alike, then why are so many Christian denominations at war with each other? Ex. Catholics and Anglicans.
The World is divided into armed camps ready to commit genocide just because we can't agree on whose fairy tales to believe. - Ed Krebs
I agree with you on one point, that the rulers think of religion as useful. This can be seen throughout history. However, those rulers twist religion into a tool they use to control their people. Christianity today, (along with many other religions) have undergone such "twist". For example, a king may use and I quote "[restriction] by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death" as an excuse to carry out his will, using religion as aid. That does not mean the religion originally has this "restriction," but merely because the king (or ruler) distorted this religion into this. Thus, as age progress, the believers are transformed of believing in such "restriction." And in the eyes of others, they appear brainwashed by the religion, which I agree they are.
Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest. — Denis Diderot
I think if you are religious merely in fear of hell, or for the rewards in heaven, then I agree that they are indeed very poor.
Faith means not wanting to know what is true. — Friedrich Nietzsche