Religion is how they gain community power... and, always have done.

Once you recognize that...

There are good people in these communities - those that have not realized that corruption is there beside them - yet.

So, I would say, find the good ones in that community, and stick with them.

Eventually, we, as a species, will realize we do not need anyone telling us who, what, god is, and how to connect to the omnipotent, omnipresent being.

We will all realize that the omnipotent, omnipresent just needs our ATTENTION... the very thing our lives have been intentionally designed to distract us from.

Once we realize that, we will never be alone again.

Prayer/meditation = attention, focus

So, if done with intent and focus, it will be a connection to that being that we are intentionally being separated from... by those that want to own us, for themselves.