Hierarchy works well in a stable environment.

The history of the Church of Rome is a constant leakage of members into such breakaway cults, which go on splitting.

The human body is always treated as an image of society.

Real equality is immensely difficult to achieve, it needs continual revision and monitoring of distributions. And it does not provide buffers between members, so they are continually colliding or frustrating each other.

Islam is in principle egalitarian, and has always had problems with power.

Religion can make it worse. Are you supposing that if people were encouraged to believe in a transcendent reality, and to be encouraged by grand rituals and music and preaching, to love their neighbors, then they would put jealousy and frustration aside?

I am sure it must be true that people opt out of the mainstream society because they feel that there are going to be no rewards for them, if they stay.