I mean to be rough specifically on naive, literalistic, exoteric, theistic religions. I'm an "old" rather than a "new," scientistic atheist. So I'm in favour of developing a worthy late-modern religion. That's why my writings propose an existential form of dark pantheism to be consistent with science and secualr humanism.

I suspect it's a matter largely of character whether we express our doubts about the sufficiency and sustainability of secular society (of consumerism, capitalism, democracy, individualism, runaway technoscientific progress) by turning to conspiracy theories about ancient aliens or to more naturalistic philosophies. The upshot is the same, regardless of many of the differences in detail.

For example, you can say that religions come from extraterrestrial beings or "gods," or that they originated from our higher selves in peak states of consciousness (unleashed largely by psychedelic drugs). I suppose it matters whether the higher beings are literally extraterrestrial in origin since they might return to Earth in that case. But for practical purposes, the metaphysical distinction here isn't so relevant.

The question is whether religion as such is bad, or even whether a purely irreligious culture is possible.