Church is its own society. Conditioning people to think life is only better with a personal god. Your misfortunes teach you that you were weak, because your personal god and middle man (priest, pastor, etc.) repeatedly tell you that you can only find strength and answers to your problems in the personal god first, because your personal god, will answer your prayers. The one moment you succeed, it's immediately associated with your personal god. This process is supposed to enlighten, and give hope to those individuals to be misguided. These individuals are easily shaped into parish puppets.

For all intents and purposes, I do believe it is a form of psychological abuse, and basically, a cult. I do agree that they prey upon desperation of individuals. Especially desperate individuals with deep pockets.

It is my opinion that religion is a business and as in any business the bottom line is the most important.