Religion as a Social Necessity

Rabbi Kushnar says in his book, Living a Life That Matters, that people are drawn to join religious congregations because they would rather pray and worship with other people than in the privacy of their own homes. This implies that the social connection to other people plays an important role in practicing religion.

His assertion is true, but it speaks for all social groups, and there are people who so eschew orthodoxy that they feel closer to a strong sense of worship without a group identity to contend with.

One group that replaces a religious social group are the various iterations of twelve step programs. The meetings are centered on a spiritual awakening following the daily reprieve from alcohol or drugs. The faithful following of so many people in AA speaks precisely to Rabbi Kushnar's point. They make and keep friends among other AAs, and they have a mutual understanding based on the principles practiced as the AA way of life.

So the social aspect has to grab people who have very similar interests in their spiritual philosophy; otherwise the fear of "group think" or cultism will arise.