Although Christianity was used as the main focal point for the narrative it's only because that was the common jumping off point for the Male caucasian British writing team. Their skill was to illuminate how such cults come about but would be totally transferable to any other. For sandal and gourd read christianity and Islam. Or catholic and protestant. Or liverpool and man utd. A fanatical devotion to an identified leader embellished with physical props or tropes. It's just part of our subconscious drive to self and group identify.