religious motivation is importantly essential to an ignorant segment of society which wishes to segregate another segment of society for unjustifiable reasons like racism.  opium dens were outlawed because they were frequented by chinese.  prohibitive pot laws were introduced because it was mostly consumed by people of colour.  so the american notion of freedom and liberty seems to apply only if you're not a non-white.  religion is just another weapon used by pearly white establishment folks, joined by a few affluent tow the line coloured props in order to pretend that the white establishment are not completely racist, to divide society further...easier to conquer when society is distracted by infighting.