Religious emotion

Most religions, not just Christians, and, for that matter, a lot of non-religious ideologies, depend on strong emotions to maintain their meme in a person. These include hate, of course, as it unifies and blocks thinking, but also fear (of divine displeasure or of the loneliness of not having a community), guilt (of thinking "wrong" things -- we all have a natural desire to do what is right) and, believe it or not, love (look at the adoration of Mary and how Christians are supposed to love Jesus up there on the Cross sacrificing his life (temporarily) "for our sins"(although I have never been able to figure out just how that works).