CD, since you've placed your head on the chopping block....please defend your very broad statement that all religions do use some form of mind control. Being an ex-JW, I tend to balk at such all encompassing, demonizing statements.
StAnn
I'm going to pick a bit on Judaism here as Christianity and Islam evolved from that folklore.
When Moses lead the Israelites through the wilderness, (if one accepts this story as factual), he controlled the people by claiming to be the only existing channel through which God spoke. Dissenters or complainers were put to death. Obedience to God, as manifested by the leader (Moses) was a strict requirement for the people. Their entire lives were dictated by Moses, through the law code, down to the most minute aspect of daily life including the "proper" expression of sexuality. Moses claims this law came to him through divine revelation.
Children were taught these "truths" and laws from infancy and dissension was not allowed. A child who was disobedient could be stoned to death along with adults. One could never be "good enough" as one was always "imperfect" and "sinful" and thus "guilty" and needed some sort of sacrifice and atonement.
Christianity, while diverging in the content of the story, keeps to the same process. Children are baptized at birth, indoctrinated in the mythology from childhood, taught that they are born sinful and therefore not "good enough" in themselves. They need to be redeemed. Fear is used to keep the members in control, ie. eternal damnation in tormenting hellfire. The leaders of the church interpret God's message and thus make the rules for the followers to keep.
Every Christian and Islamic sect teaches and practices some form of this process. Content of stories and rules differs slightly, but the process is the same. Indoctrination in early childhood of being "bad" for simply being born human. Interpretations and rules made by leaders who have some sort of divine inspiration or at least an extra dose of holy spirit leading them to lead) Control through fear and punishment. (The punishment changes in severity but the fear is the key element). While all religions may not perform severe shunning, the mythology promotes an "us versus them" mentality in that it segregates people into two classes, believer and unbeliever, good versus evil, saved versus damned. There are social ramifications to that mentality, even in the most mild of the sects (which, by the way, is a synonym for the word "cult').
Now, please go back and read the 10 warning signs of a dangerous group or leader and see if you can see any parallels.