does religion inflict suffering then offer the cure?

I saw this quote by Jon Stewart:

“Religion: It’s given people hope in world torn apart by religion.”

I can hear somebody now saying that we just need to give people Jesus. But I suggest you can’t just give anybody Jesus because you aren’t just delivering the product but the packaging. As soon as you touch it, it changes into something else with it’s own wrapping, instructions, expiry date, outlets and price.

Some like to say that this is the way it should be: preach the law to convict people of their sin, then preach grace to rescue them from it.

I say skip the middle man. We’re already there.