However, it is also horrible that something has happened in our society that has created enough completely lonely people that providing a platform for parasocial relationships is, like, a viable and wildly successful business model.
TikTok is just filling a hole.
I don’t want to throw all religion out with the bathwater so to speak, there are definitely good religions that comfort people out there.
It does seem that, for example, there is a bit of a parasocial, or para…community(?) aspect to televangelism.
Places of worship provide more than a dissemination of views and beliefs. They are a communal place where mostly like-minded folks have a consistent opportunity to connect (or at least feel connected) to others around them. Under ideal circumstances, the beliefs in place also assure there is both encouragement of this behavior and means by which discord can be resolved.
Mind you, I also believe this breaks down considerably in larger places (i.e. 'megachurches' in the states) as you hit an inflection point of being able to become anonymous again.
Putting humans in the wrong religious grouping leads to more persecution.