Note 1: this is going to be long post. there are different topics in here kept at once place. But without keeping them together will loose their context. I tried to keep it agnostic to religion as all the religions do similar things, but there might be some concepts/histories to religion specific too.

Note 2: These all are my own understanding by reading many sources and life experiences. Please be aware, author doesn't claim to be expert of any field. I have simplified a lot of things. I have sometimes used keywords etc, please google those to study further, and develop your own understanding.

Why gateway? because the feel of spirituality itself is what doesn't lead to these. The narratives/explanations/norms set by religious institutions and people is what makes it actual slippery slope. In a line you can say. "Half knowledge is dangerous"

Spirituality takes complex phenomenon and give too much simplified explanation to people, laced with their
own agenda of promoting explanations for morals and ethics, and reason behind experiences and phenomenon

It clouds and imped the skeptic and inquisitive nature of human mind,
and the human mind learn by being skeptic, inquisitive, explorative.

And it targets its audience just like marketing companies. In plain sight, you'd see someone having completely different or even sometimes illogical preferences just because too much biases caused by branding and marketing of some service or product.

Similarly in spirituality, it targets based on what person can cross verify, their emotioinal, mental etc health, problems etc.

For someone less equipped with verifying knowledge etc : they simply use simple experiences to fool, like using this mantra or some lines from their holy book or some ritual will do benefits.
since these thing do some benefits because of psychological sense of security, not the reasons they give.
but they stil feed their reasoning and explanation to condition beliefs in the person.
And slowly and surely, because of your experiences proving it again and again. You would accept it.
Not all for it, some might go for deeper understanding from psychological, biological point of view, or evolution pov. etc

For someone equipped with more sophisticated ways - they used more sophisticated things
Like there are always and will always be things which won't be explainable by current science, and further advanced will be needed to understand them.
this time they use their metaphysical philosophies, along with moral philosophies, their philosophy for subjective experiences (qualia), intertwining both to give explanation for the universe phenomenon etc, along with explanation why you are part planned universe etc, and roles, blah blah lots mental orgasm.

Now many again fall for this, because it gives sense of purpose, etc. And lots of things are so complicated.
like these things are debated then can be debunked or proved to be not absolute or fundamental

the last way History : Just adding it as it also plays a big role in defining in what to think of the world as well in terms of what has been happening etc.
here,
they simply create either historical narrative as divine narrative or just plain keep it patriotic to attach it with religion. Showing the history from lens of religions.
and based on those stories etc, what is currently happening in the society, and what are your roles responsibilities etc. these historical narrative again, takes some rationalist too.
they go on defending this narrative, because somehow they think religion is what that can unify people of their country.
they see the problems everywhere in society (which is being caused by dominance of religion), but then religion will itself give explanation that, why society is crumbing because of this, because of that. again simplistic explanations, then because of simplicity and matching with data, they just start to appreciate this way of looking at things, and start to slowly find more explanations which they didn't earlier find (because of lack of spread of these important knowledges, because of intentionally destroyed and brainrot teaching methodologies.

How can it be fought back? Nature is agnostic. Its laws just happens to be there. The good or bad is our conscious experience. In nature, falling a hand of person, is neither good nor bad, nor painful, nor joyful. Its your consciousness which is giving it meaning. And when people say try to find your soul or atma or there is goodness in your. I believe usually they meant understanding your consciousness.
All these things had already been understood and explained in the ancient India, by philosophers namely buddhist philosopher's works is remaining.
But there is possibility that there was in some form of philosophy for empirical science.

One thing to point out before I start : epistemology of mind is very similar epistemology of science
(but how it is done matters)
In a way you can say, both are same. just different holder. For knowledge of mind is contained to single person. whereas epistemology of science -> has whole knowledge of science for it

you do lots of analysis, (do analogy for naming only, for process, analyse the actual phenomenon, don't chase analogy beyond some surface level similarities, unless they can really be shown to be isomorphic, if you list down all process, properties )

like science : some knowledge (priori) -> think, explore, hypothesize -> experiment -> verify knowledge -> update knowledge
[and what rules to follow for exploring, experimentation, verification depends on the specific knowledge or process]

like mind: some knowledge & experiences (priori) -> think, explore -> experiment/act/interact -> verification of knowledge happens directly/indrectly -> update knowledge

one major difference is, for mind, lots of processes may/can happen without your awareness or subconsciously.
but can be focused via using our self awareness.

they use the spirituality to imped people thoughts about what rules to follow
-> 1. exploring, what to experimentation, 2. how to verify your knowledge, 3. update understanding of the world and phenomenon (how to reflect and look with new view at the world)

So how can it be fought back?

I think solution is in the problem -> the two [problems/events/phenomenon] categories they use to lure people,
there should be societal level campaign, programs, activities, speeches, events to ensure people get access to simplified modern well accepted/multiple version for each of them.
Just like sun revolves around earth is not a fact anymore. There are knowledges which are still not simplified to common languages without loosing their essence.

But how much common sense knowledge contain? how much we can compress

Like in sun doesn't revolve around earth : this is description of truth. but it can be expanded on each of these, proofs, explanation definitions etc. But the logic is in science and mathematics used to prove it using data.

If you see, here the language of mathematics and framework of science comes into play, to handle our very specific problems of gaining and storing knowledge. It gives much standardized, reproducible, full of clarity for following process which happens to be used in knowledge gain (individual and science/collective)

think, explore -> experiment/act/interact -> verification of knowledge happens directly/indrectly

And One more thing, there has always been myth propagated by religious fundamentalists, that most people are not capable of understanding sophisticated logic.
this I personally don't believe to be true. I believe a person who has understanding of language is well equipped to learn all sciences and mathematics.
the only boundation happens because of lack of interest or lack of work in the right direction. Again I am talking about understanding, not becoming expert of it. Becoming expert might require some abilities. but understanding with enough context etc can be learned.

So they justify giving their claims as better to educate people about morality and ethics, world etc etc

And to strengthen these again and show superficial support for these, lots of extra religious and people benefitting from these things promote these spiritual things, and godmens in the name of promoting spirituality and bringing peace in society. many people who support these on online platforms gives these benefits as explanations usually don't fully beliefs those superstitious things or usually its spread in society will benefit them. [benefit -> power, money.
Religious institution are richest, biggest land owers (all temples, wakf boards, christiniatiy related and other]

I don't know about cities and other states, but in my town (and near by towns) lots of well off people become too religious, promoting and making happen religious things. and not actually promoting the growth of society, paying good to people.
and the reason when I have learned was shocked. Somehow these people were fed ideas that if they started promoting growth etc, lots of people start progressing. and they will get lots of competitors.

these things could be cultural, but the way religious rituals were part of anything special. And how people used to consult local religious leader, there is good chance, these beliefs and feeling in society are manufactured.

this is just hypothesis. But if you assume that lots of beliefs and behavior are being fed to people and conditioning at all levels, consciously, subconsciously by these controlled methods. and see what they actually tell people, what they read in kathapath etc

You would get lots of answers. I could be farfetched. But it is not as unbelievable people willing getting scammed, generations and generations and not realizing it.

people think asking religious leaders to reform their religion will reform it? just like they beg to big corporations
but the aim and path used by them causes impeding of thinking or beliefs of people and in return they get profit and power
so why would they not do it? they will do it again, but more subtle way more hidden (in plainsight) or just hidden way etc etc

it is like giving scammers a chance, that you tried to use my backdoor last time. dont use that take away my money and car keys.
then thief will next time use the roof. and that's exactly what all the religions do fundamentally

just like they try to control and cloud at each step, you can simply make aware people at those steps and make them try new change at those steps to understand

also there are associative learnings happening in background (because of helpful community etc), because of good feeling etc, reinforcing lots of your behaviour and thinking and beliefs.

Its like they help you become mentally disabled by your own cooperation and willingness. it is just that they talk with sweetness, they give your need (community, even if pretending) etc.

I think the reason why religious people create rukus everywhere and so that they can claim their religious place provides peace. Irony. Bruh. Any big house with temperature wise cool environment and good ventilation seems peaceful to me. I never understood their speciality? Instead they do make noise pollution few days in a week or daily based on their rule books.

And control your life in invisible ways which you might or might not figure out, or you can even realize it, something is causing problem. But keep on searching for solutions on surface level only. When the damage was done internally.

Thank you.

Note 1: this is going to be long post. there are different topics in here kept at once place. But without keeping them together will loose their context. I tried to keep it agnostic to religion as all the religions do similar things, but there might be some concepts/histories to religion specific too.

Note 2: These all are my own understanding by reading many sources and life experiences. Please be aware, author doesn't claim to be expert of any field. I have simplified a lot of things. I have sometimes used keywords etc, please google those to study further, and develop your own understanding.

Why gateway? because the feel of spirituality itself is what doesn't lead to these. The narratives/explanations/norms set by religious institutions and people is what makes it actual slippery slope. In a line you can say. "Half knowledge is dangerous"

Spirituality takes complex phenomenon and give too much simplified explanation to people, laced with their
own agenda of promoting explanations for morals and ethics, and reason behind experiences and phenomenon

It clouds and imped the skeptic and inquisitive nature of human mind,
and the human mind learn by being skeptic, inquisitive, explorative.

And it targets its audience just like marketing companies. In plain sight, you'd see someone having completely different or even sometimes illogical preferences just because too much biases caused by branding and marketing of some service or product.

Similarly in spirituality, it targets based on what person can cross verify, their emotioinal, mental etc health, problems etc.

For someone less equipped with verifying knowledge etc : they simply use simple experiences to fool, like using this mantra or some lines from their holy book or some ritual will do benefits.
since these thing do some benefits because of psychological sense of security, not the reasons they give.
but they stil feed their reasoning and explanation to condition beliefs in the person.
And slowly and surely, because of your experiences proving it again and again. You would accept it.
Not all for it, some might go for deeper understanding from psychological, biological point of view, or evolution pov. etc

For someone equipped with more sophisticated ways - they used more sophisticated things
Like there are always and will always be things which won't be explainable by current science, and further advanced will be needed to understand them.
this time they use their metaphysical philosophies, along with moral philosophies, their philosophy for subjective experiences (qualia), intertwining both to give explanation for the universe phenomenon etc, along with explanation why you are part planned universe etc, and roles, blah blah lots mental orgasm.

Now many again fall for this, because it gives sense of purpose, etc. And lots of things are so complicated.
like these things are debated then can be debunked or proved to be not absolute or fundamental

the last way History : Just adding it as it also plays a big role in defining in what to think of the world as well in terms of what has been happening etc.
here,
they simply create either historical narrative as divine narrative or just plain keep it patriotic to attach it with religion. Showing the history from lens of religions.
and based on those stories etc, what is currently happening in the society, and what are your roles responsibilities etc. these historical narrative again, takes some rationalist too.
they go on defending this narrative, because somehow they think religion is what that can unify people of their country.
they see the problems everywhere in society (which is being caused by dominance of religion), but then religion will itself give explanation that, why society is crumbing because of this, because of that. again simplistic explanations, then because of simplicity and matching with data, they just start to appreciate this way of looking at things, and start to slowly find more explanations which they didn't earlier find (because of lack of spread of these important knowledges, because of intentionally destroyed and brainrot teaching methodologies.

How can it be fought back? Nature is agnostic. Its laws just happens to be there. The good or bad is our conscious experience. In nature, falling a hand of person, is neither good nor bad, nor painful, nor joyful. Its your consciousness which is giving it meaning. And when people say try to find your soul or atma or there is goodness in your. I believe usually they meant understanding your consciousness.
All these things had already been understood and explained in the ancient India, by philosophers namely buddhist philosopher's works is remaining.
But there is possibility that there was in some form of philosophy for empirical science.

One thing to point out before I start : epistemology of mind is very similar epistemology of science
(but how it is done matters)
In a way you can say, both are same. just different holder. For knowledge of mind is contained to single person. whereas epistemology of science -> has whole knowledge of science for it

you do lots of analysis, (do analogy for naming only, for process, analyse the actual phenomenon, don't chase analogy beyond some surface level similarities, unless they can really be shown to be isomorphic, if you list down all process, properties )

like science : some knowledge (priori) -> think, explore, hypothesize -> experiment -> verify knowledge -> update knowledge
[and what rules to follow for exploring, experimentation, verification depends on the specific knowledge or process]

like mind: some knowledge & experiences (priori) -> think, explore -> experiment/act/interact -> verification of knowledge happens directly/indrectly -> update knowledge

they use the spirituality to imped people thoughts about what rules to follow
-> 1. exploring, what to experimentation, 2. how to verify your knowledge, 3. update understanding of the world and phenomenon (how to reflect and look with new view at the world)

So how can it be fought back?

I think solution is in the problem -> the two [problems/events/phenomenon] categories they use to lure people,
there should be societal level campaign, programs, activities, speeches, events to ensure people get access to simplified modern well accepted/multiple version for each of them.
Just like sun revolves around earth is not a fact anymore. There are knowledges which are still not simplified to common languages without loosing their essence.

But how much common sense knowledge contain? how much we can compress

Like in sun doesn't revolve around earth : this is description of truth. but it can be expanded on each of these, proofs, explanation definitions etc. But the logic is in science and mathematics used to prove it using data.

If you see, here the language of mathematics and framework of science comes into play, to handle our very specific problems of gaining and storing knowledge. It gives much standardized, reproducible, full of clarity for following process which happens to be used in knowledge gain (individual and science/collective)

think, explore -> experiment/act/interact -> verification of knowledge happens directly/indrectly

And One more thing, there has always been myth propagated by religious fundamentalists, that most people are not capable of understanding sophisticated logic.
this I personally don't believe to be true. I believe a person who has understanding of language is well equipped to learn all sciences and mathematics.
the only boundation happens because of lack of interest or lack of work in the right direction. Again I am talking about understanding, not becoming expert of it. Becoming expert might require some abilities. but understanding with enough context etc can be learned.

So they justify giving their claims as better to educate people about morality and ethics, world etc etc

And to strengthen these again and show superficial support for these, lots of extra religious and people benefitting from these things promote these spiritual things, and godmens in the name of promoting spirituality and bringing peace in society. many people who support these on online platforms gives these benefits as explanations usually don't fully beliefs those superstitious things or usually its spread in society will benefit them. [benefit -> power, money.
Religious institution are richest, biggest land owers (all temples, wakf boards, christiniatiy related and other]

I don't know about cities and other states, but in my town (and near by towns) lots of well off people become too religious, promoting and making happen religious things. and not actually promoting the growth of society, paying good to people.
and the reason when I have learned was shocked. Somehow these people were fed ideas that if they started promoting growth etc, lots of people start progressing. and they will get lots of competitors.

these things could be cultural, but the way religious rituals were part of anything special. And how people used to consult local religious leader, there is good chance, these beliefs and feeling in society are manufactured.

this is just hypothesis. But if you assume that lots of beliefs and behavior are being fed to people and conditioning at all levels, consciously, subconsciously by these controlled methods. and see what they actually tell people, what they read in kathapath etc

You would get lots of answers. I could be farfetched. But it is not as unbelievable people willing getting scammed, generations and generations and not realizing it.

people think asking religious leaders to reform their religion will reform it? just like they beg to big corporations
but the aim and path used by them causes impeding of thinking or beliefs of people and in return they get profit and power
so why would they not do it? they will do it again, but more subtle way more hidden (in plainsight) or just hidden way etc etc

it is like giving scammers a chance, that you tried to use my backdoor last time. dont use that take away my money and car keys.
then thief will next time use the roof. and that's exactly what all the religions do fundamentally

just like they try to control and cloud at each step, you can simply make aware people at those steps and make them try new change at those steps to understand

also there are associative learnings happening in background (because of helpful community etc), because of good feeling etc, reinforcing lots of your behaviour and thinking and beliefs.

Its like they help you become mentally disabled by your own cooperation and willingness. it is just that they talk with sweetness, they give your need (community, even if pretending) etc.

I think the reason why religious people create rukus everywhere and so that they can claim their religious place provides peace. Irony. Bruh. Any big house with temperature wise cool environment and good ventilation seems peaceful to me. I never understood their speciality? Instead they do make noise pollution few days in a week or daily based on their rule books.

And control your life in invisible ways which you might or might not figure out, or you can even realize it, something is causing problem. But keep on searching for solutions on surface level only. When the damage was done internally.

Thank you.