If you and I are convinced we are wretches, if you and I believe, as the Calvinists did, that by simply being born we are intrinsically evil, then we are made to be manipulated. Just look around and see how well that works for the folks raking in the money from all the self-hate, and the products we buy and weapons we use to express that self-hate. All while using religion as our justification. Just saying. It’s one hell of an industry, self-righteous religious hate.