Organized religion provides a model of the way all organizations, from the state down to the village garden club, end a price in terms of a member's freedom of thought and action.

Summary

This quote suggests that organized religion serves as a template for various types of organizations, demonstrating a common trade-off between a member's liberty to think and act independently and the benefits derived from being a part of the group. It implies that while belonging to an organized religion or any similar organization can offer certain advantages, it also comes at the cost of potentially limiting individual autonomy. By drawing parallels between religious institutions and a range of collective bodies, the quote highlights the pervasive nature of this compromise within societal structures.

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