Theocracy

In this essay, I'm going to talk about religion. My intention is to explain how powerful it has been in the centuries and how powerful it still is.
When Hester Prynne lived, the Church was the strongest institution able to influence an entire society. Pearl was called the "demon child" and one of the descriptions Hawthorne gives her says "There was a fire in her and through her; she seemed the unpremeditated offshot of a passionate moment".
Now, the Church seems not so important as it used to be, but I know that in the 21st century, many people couldn't live without it. They need a guide to tell them what to do and apparently that guide is God. Some pray many times a day, they go to church every Sunday and sometimes even during the week. They have the same belief that people had three centuries ago and they strongly critize those like me, who believe neither in God nor in Church.
I come from Italy, the State of the Catholic Church, and I can tell you that the Pope has an immense power and an unbelievable leverage on the government. This is important to say just to make you understand that the Church still IS powerful; only, people don't talk about it as much as they used to do.
Some of the questions I'll try to answer are: Is there a difference between God and Church? What brings people to be religious? Is religion useful?.
As a conclusion, I will write about some of my personal experiences that brought me not to believe either in Church or in God.