the problem was people sticking to the existing religions

"The problem with religion is that people won't stop being religious" is circular and thought-terminating

culture being too terrified to let go or incapable of accepting that others have moved on

How do you sooth public anxieties at a national level?

How do you foster egalitarian social habits?

Seems like you'd need some kind of broad social project or moral imperitive for a nation's worth of people to align with.