they stood still, looking

This is really interesting, not only because I like Orson Scott Card and Star Wars. His dissection about religion in Star Wars is thoughtful and spot on (did I really just use the term "spot on"?). Similar things have been done looking for religion in the Simpsons or Winnie the Pooh.

The trend to find religion in your interests is not unique, nor should it be. Investing yourself in a hobby or movie or TV show or book or anything is natural; obsessions reach some part of us that identifies us in some way. And we want our religious side to take part in these obsessions. What it reflects is man's internal search for God. Even atheists who claim there is no God have souls whose identities find meaning in an obsession with no God. Their religion is, in fact, one that spurns Him at all turn and at all costs.

Hardheart, the two sides of the coin are God and no God, and it's simply not possible to call one side religion and the other not. That's just dumb.