Gem,
Fair points overall, the thing is there is no tool that can be not be misused and on the flip side every tool has potential to yield the correct results.
Religion, at least in Buddhist terms, since that is an area both you and I have some experience in, is a fine raft.
Tradition, culture, rituals including bowing all have their place and like all fine art, it's a fine piece of tapestry.
Obviously there will be some who mistake the forest for the trees or is it the trees for the forest
whatever it is. The point is some people will make a cult out of anything - including bliss, no religion, New Age, my thinking, my cult, or spiritual teachings - it can't be helped because we live in the land and realm of ego, dualistic thinking, living and fundamentally ignorance. Jyotir has many, many excellent posts on this forum which detail the mechanics of this.
That is why there is nothing so beautiful and true that ego can't ruin and likewise there is nothing so mundane or ugly that Truth can't transcend. It's a two way street.
My point is, given a choice between having help from a a group or realized teacher or not, I would go with the former. I am biased by two things:
1. Having had this tremendous and unthinkable experience - believe me I'm a skeptic as much as the next person and I took a long time before accepting anyone as I was foremost suspicious and haha didn't trust many teachers
2. Recognizing that the Truth as taught by all genuine spiritual traditions are not inconsistent - and although it sounds easy - there are so many pitfalls (I get mired constantly hehe) - that the genuinely realized are genuinely miles ahead and have access to Knowledge that is superior, and also if they are real teachers, they know also how to help.
The biggest elephant in this room - the huge caveat is - can a person find a genuinely realized teacher? Can they find a tradition that genuinely aims to free them - kick them out of the nest so to speak, and not mire them within a tradition/belief system/religion?
That is what is up to karma and the fate of life, of which I am no expert. But seek and ye shall find, and above all, if you alone are the sole arbiter of truth (I know I am enlightened or have "got it" and I don't have to do a thing nor listen to anyone else) - you can be pretty sure you have a long long road to go.*
Blessings.
*you = one (not you)