[Hypothesis] Christianity is today's Proletariat [Hypothesis]
Just as the proletariat has experienced through the ages whenever the governing classes would need more of them (through the breedings of the slaves in late rome, through the persecution of everything that served birth control by the people themselves under the hands of the churches, etc.), Christianity has risen to an enormous power - in a pure matter of numbers of people.
Most live in poor conditions, just like the proletariat. And just like the proletariat, they give their power to a few maniacs, loons and other assorted leaders of the cause.
Paroles and ideology rule this class that makes up one of the hugest demographic parts of the world's population, enough to make them go berserk in those regions of the world where they are, as most of the time, too many to keep peace and somehow yet managed to gain a constant sustain of food and a sufficent ammount of firepower.