I think this is way off base. With respect, compared to the power and scope of the left and big bloated government with their many tentacles which now reach into almost all aspects of our lives: academia/hollywood/the deep-state bureaucracy/the judiciary at all levels/the mass media, etc. I would say the collective power of religious institutions in the country is barely detectable at this point in our history.
Hell, the lefties in government tell us what size our "BIG GULP" drinks should be, what the water pressure in our toilets should be, whether I can dig on my own property, what kind of light bulbs we need to use, what kind of speech I should use, whether I should own a gun or not---on and on with the overreach and constant intrusions into our lives. But I need to fear the religious?
I don't think so.