Although a Lutheran this Pastor stood alone:
"Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller (German: [?ni?mœl?]; 14 January 1892 – 6 March 1984) was a German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor.[1][2] He is best known for a widely-paraphrased statement which he made in different versions, one of which is "First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-because I was not a Socialist. ... Then they came for me-and there was no one left to speak for me.""
[en.m.wikipedia.org]

Now if only those religiously ethical folks would stop killing in the name of their god. I'm not even go into the child abuse and women issues.

The thing about religion that is most important is that it gets the young child when that child is developing guide lines for his life. The earlier it happens, the more subliminal it is. So at this very vulnerable time of life, the child is taught to follow and not use his thinking abilities. That is not good for society - let alone that child. Every person needs to establish their identity. That is a lifetime process that belongs to each person. Those who do not think are fodder to follow right or wrong things according to the tide.

First of all, I don't get your opening statement that religion is not equal to ethics, god, spirituality. You probably are right, but religion claims all three anyway. All religions that I know worship a god, think that the ethics of that religion is leading and that believing creates an experience of spirituality. (A car has wheels, just like his predecessor the bike and without wheels you can't get forward, other than walking.)
I'm not sure if the fact that a religion uses one or more gods, spirituality and ethics also implicates following. Neither does it implicate that you should be in awe. They hope you are. They just want you to worship. Not completely the same. But you are quite right, the goal is follow, don't think. But the human race is predestined to following. In general humans love to follow because it is so easy. Humans do not really like to think. If following gives them protection, a community, and the basics that they need for living, they are quite easy. The Roman emperors knew it all too well. Feed them and keep them busy and they will never revolt. It's not just religion that creates followers. Sports do, politics do, just the same as religion. Even in schools in schools a lot of bullies appear to gain some leadership and followers. Brainless, but still ……….
And it has always been a quite small group of intellectuals (thinkers) that rowed upstream. It's of all time. I love rowing upstream (not physical though ).

It sounds like slippery slope.

Yikes, I think that this is a type of follower, maybe, but I have religious friends who don't goose step to their beliefs. I have known priests of various groups, from catholic to satanic, and they weren't particularly fascist in their expression of their beliefs. Though there was this Chaplin in the marines....I am pretty sure he worked for Himmler as a toddler...almost sure of it.

Yeah, most religions make no sense - thats why they rely on faith.

I see religion growing from early mans attempt to make sense of the world around him.

...right up until "Hitler"...you were right.

When you are brought up to follow and not to think, you do not learn how to think. Colleges teach thinking skills. Thinking requires training and takes time to perfect - never reaching perfecting.

Once you are a good follower, you are a good conformer. So when your group decides that another group is inferior and undeserving, for you that is just the way it is.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."
-Voltaire

Yup. Nailed it.
I've said for years that Christianity trains people from childhood to check their brains at the church door and mindlessly obey white male authority. The GOP had the perfect zombies to manipulate when the Tea Party and Moral Majority got involved in politics. Just give religious leaders a piece of the power and they can lead their sheep to the polls.