According to the mimetic theory by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Girard there is a social benefit of religion - it is a much more direct explanation of religion and thus more convincing than this virus theory. It is not less condemning, at least for all 'sacrificial' religions - but in a nuanced way - it says that we could not have a civilisation without it even if they are rather problematic for our contemporary morality.