Because they are. When you need pressure but overt and covert to keep adherents, it is a cult.

Thank goodness for that. I myself live in a country in West Africa and in my country atheists or agnostics aren't looked at kindly. Worse if one is a muslim in muslim majority areas and they leave. Safety is a serious issue, and denial of work opportunities is normal.

While I'm wholly in support of choosing your religion or lack of it (I myself I'm atheist all family are catholic) I think people should be a bit careful in letting others know, especially if leaving your religion could bring harm to you or cause serious problems in navigating life where you live.

In some places apostasy is a thing, and in other places while nothing as drastic as that exists, people knowing you aren't religious will literally mean you will be sidelined for jobs or not even be considered at all.

Not every country is progressive and has progressive people.

Fly in the people working in finance from London and New York. Bet they'd make a sizeable dent in it in one weekend, add those in the oil industry in Aberdeen and problem gone.

You write very well OP. Shouldn't be laughing but this was very funny.