Richard Dawkins comments on tribalism and how it influences people and their religious beliefs.
This sort of cultism has been around a long time and it seems to be getting worse. People seem to need to belong to something higher than themselves to find 'meaning' in the world and don't seem to question as they should. Let some inspiring person come along and present a friendly face and they are hooked. Unfortunately, the more of us the more people feel lost in a sea of human contact and the more apt they are to find a tribe that will accept them (and often their money).