The mechanism isn’t the same as for diseases, which can’t be too virulent or they kill their hosts. Religions don’t generally kill their hosts.
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid ;)
Prevalent communicable diseases usually don’t kill their hosts, because those that do (like Ebola) tend not to spread, and thus are not prevalent.
There have been multiple recorded instances of cults ending in mass suicide, as well as a gamut of other harms to adherents. Those that don’t implode from their virulence may spread and survive, eventually becoming old enough to graduate and be called “religions” (i.e. prevalent cults).
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid ;)
Prevalent communicable diseases usually don’t kill their hosts, because those that do (like Ebola) tend not to spread, and thus are not prevalent.
There have been multiple recorded instances of cults ending in mass suicide, as well as a gamut of other harms to adherents. Those that don’t implode from their virulence may spread and survive, eventually becoming old enough to graduate and be called “religions” (i.e. prevalent cults).
Sounds like exactly the same mechanism to me.