Could all religions be related to a TRUE worldwide conspiracy?

None of this is fact-based, just speculation, but I thought it would make for an interesting topic of discussion.

If there truly was a conspiracy against mankind since the dawn of history(whether it be reptilian overlords, secret elite societies, or something of the like), wouldn't religion be the best way to keep man in check? If we were to be controlled on a global basis, you would need something that would make the masses fall in line, and religion is the perfect tool for such a task. If this were the case, however, you'd have to have many different religions based all over the globe as to give the illusion of "cultural differences" as an explanation. If all humans originated from the same place(central Africa), wouldn't it be likely that we all follow the same religion? Granted there are thousands of years of word of mouth and human corruption to consider, but could each religion truly have strayed so far from each other?

When pondering this though, many obvious questions arise:

What would be the benefits of doing this for so long?
Is it just a means of implied importance that is inherent in human nature so we can explain our own shortcomings?
What benefits can be reaped from doing this aside from material pleasures?
Who would benefit from doing such a thing?

Like I said, this is just a topic for discussion and I was curious as to what the rest of you might think. It does seem feasible(in some roundabout way), but unlikely.

I personally believe that religions are ancient stories blown out of proportion by either natural human exaggeration or by those who see its power as a means of control(which would be a conspiracy, but just not as large as I had deemed it to be if it were true since it would involve each religion individually, not globally).

Take the Epic of Gilgamesh, for example, we believe that it's the Sumerian equivalent of the bible, but it could also very well have just been a popular story or play of the time, and we've misconstrued it because it's one of the more common themes seen from that time period.

It'd be the ultimate irony if 5000 years from now some scientist finds a copy of Harry Potter or LOTR and claims it to be the religious beliefs of our time.

Too bad more haven't jumped in on this topic as I think it's a very thought provoking one.

I think that religion was contrived to keep people enmasse controlled and give hope to those that were searching for something to believe in. Nothing in our exsistance has been ultimately proven, there are holes in every theory. Mankind is naturally curious and questions are beginnings.
I think in part the bible and stories like the Epic of Gilgamesh became just stories over time and things were added and taken away to make the story more interesting along the way.

However, I think that religion all religion and belief have derived from a single source and man have made it a conflict. I don't know if I am conveying my thoughts well here.

I think at this point in our human history that the benefits outway the truth. If by some act of God (no pun intended) the very truth of our existance were to be given to us without question, undeniably true to every man we would go crazy. Wars would break out, it would be chaos because people typically subscribe to one religion and one belief and in each religion you are taught they way that religion tells you to believe. The truth would set this world on it's head and where then would all the people that do subscribe to a specific belief be?

Again I don' t know if I am saying this right because it's all in my head but to answer one of your questions I don't think religion has strayed to far from other religions if you look at them collectively they pretty much all say the same thing. It's man that has corrupted it and has created an intolerance of other beliefs which is what has sparked so many of our wars. How sad!

As Saint4God once said, if there was a tool to control the masses, the government would have put a patent on it.

But seriously, I know its easy to say "religion controls people," but can you explain how? Do we not have minds of our own? Do we not feel pain and sadness like other people? Are we but machines created by religion to do its bidding? I think not.

it would be a tool to control people if you told them "our rules are the only way to salvation"

if you get people to believe that, you can get them to do whatever you want, such as give their money for said religion. we do have minds of our own, which is why people from certain backgrounds can end up believing religions outside of their culture or end up becoming atheists or agnostics, but the majority of the population still subscribes to a religion(out of fear of nothingness, if you ask me)

I've thought about this many, many...many times. Like you, I can only speculate.

I once heard that it was the catholics who created the muslim religion. Now, I'm not saying I believe this, or that any of it is true...but it is interesting to ponder. I've done searching dealing with the question...but never got any results that were satisfactory dealing with the exact question.

Does anyone know about this? Or has anyone got information on that question at all? Any, even a little holdsome evidense would prove interesting. If it is true...I can surely say it was a conspiracy...for power.