Its actually quite possible it wound. Society has been based on religion for the longest time, governments everywhere still have got the Church's hand in them. Only a few are beginning to truly severe these ties.

Considering society was largely based on religion, removing it entirely could cause society to collapse. Just like society has been based on money and economic power. Its the same deal.

But you're missing PJs point Spart, you basically just stated what he was trying to. You don't need these things, but they're basically essentials to society. Religion is quite different from the need for money, power or sex, but the point hes making still stands.

The problem is religion has been an ideal held for too long to just remove. It would leave too many people confused and lost. It doesn't matter if they're right or wrong, but for a lot of people, while they may not even act religious, they feel as if theres something to their religious beliefs guiding them. To steal that would be chaotic.

But, realistically, no one wants to just get rid of religion up and out of the blue and getting rid of it out of the blue would never happen. If its a gradual, slow process where people become convinced that religion is wrong, then no one would care, and that is happening more and more.