With Marx's view of religion being the "opium of the people" and the author's view of Marx's meaning to be "killing the pain", religion does seem to be what people seek to ease the pain.

Whether God exists or not, humans feel the need to justify and explain the pain of this life. If God allows pain, pain must be to teach us lessons. Humans seek to understand the "why" of the lesson. They turn to religion to get the answers, but only find we must have "faith" that it is for our own good.

I believe God exists, I am just not sure what cloud he is on....does it matter?
Melinda