The growth is largely due to the usefulness of religion to control the population, ie keep them accepting of the rich and powerful being that way. Follow the money. Yes, it's more complicated than that but think root cause. Money and control thereof.

I'd say both because there are always people who want power over others and an all knowing all seeing sky god is just the job too...

I think it started off as the former, but has almost always evolved into the latter.

The second one and another one too; some humans cannot understand that humans are not so important and have a need for something "bigger".

As has been stated by others, I believe it begain as a way to explain the unexplainable, then was corrupted by those who saw in it the way to gain power over others.

Started off as a way of explaining what was then inexplicable then became a tool to subjugate the masses. Bit like multi-nationals really.

Good question, No I do not. I understand the mystery of the night sky without science even invented. I believe it was the dire situation of the poor and the need to control them. To force them is not going to work but make them feel righteous about it and here we go.
Even to this day religion is used to control the masses/ Without Constantine there would be no bible, no shit,

id say its a bit of both

As did other intersubjective beliefs (all of human culture is intersubjective beliefs) I think it evolved along with language.

Yes.

Religions may have begun as a way to make sense of the world, putting things in a perspective where you can see a clear path to how you should live your life... But I think some religions were formed or evolved into a dogmatic machine to control or suppress people. That's my feeling.

I don't like being controlled, by religion or any person, but I can see how politicians can feel that religion makes governing people easier, so is a tool they can use, whether they really believe in the religion or not.

I think "religion"... (the gods, myths, anthropromorphosising nature) is pretty much our default software. It's been with us since we became conscious and seems, like our emotional mind, to have enough power that it can often override our frontal cortex/reasonable mind.

It is natural on several fronts. As you suggest, to attempt (and fail) to explain the inexplicable. Also, to attempt (and fail) to substantiate "things hoped for" such as an afterlife. In the service of such immortality projects, one gives oneself over to confirmation bias, agency inference, tribalism, and authoritarianism (and more) in order to gin up belief without evidence, unjustifiable compliance, and to circle the wagons / protect the belief system.

I think that religion as a concept was a "natural human development" which then proved useful to rulers / oppressors as a fulcrum of control, and to con artists with personal agendas as a fulcrum of influence. So it both manipulates to insure its own survival, and is manipulated by others. There have been times when both have happened at once, as when Pope Pius made a Faustian bargain with both Italy and Germany in WW2: leave us alone, and we won't speak out against whatever you do. It mostly worked with Italy, mostly didn't with Germany.

I think it started out as an attempt to explain things, combined with a less than rational mind, and later evolved into a means of suppression and oppression.

Yes...then a vehicle for suppression, control and power.

My understanding is that animism, propitiation of "spirits" evolved as a way to ensure continued availability of resources. After settled agriculture started, and people could be pressed into labor, theistic religion became a means of social control. That's not necessarily a bad thing; Pentateuch rules contain considerable information about how to live in close quarters without getting plagues or famines and making sure everyone gets fed.

the first definition.

the first definition.

It is my belief that it was a combination of the two that led to religion. Man was not able to explain how all came about and people like trumpie saw an opportunity to capitalize on it by forming religion. It is also a common everywhere we find people. The type of religion and how it is practiced may change but they all are attuned to the same beliefs afterlife and the explanation of how things came about.