Religion is fear based. God is freedom based.

There is the fundamental difference in living through religion and living through God. God empowers us to live in truth, authenticity and honesty. Religion feeds on people fearing life, death and everything in between. All motivation in religion is fear driven while God helps individuals come out of whatever fear they are trapped inside and lets them live in principles and freedom. God doesn't force you to be friends with people who are not good for you. God doesn't force you to keep your marriage with toxic people claiming divorce is bad/sin. God reaches you the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships and empowers you to leave those relationships that are unhealthy. God teaches you to love yourself first because all respect towards other things in creation deserve respect as much as you do. Religion forces you to think of others all the time while ignoring your own self/life to an extent you draw your identity from external people/labels. This creates insecurities and people hence stay in religion not out of love but they can't function outside as themselves without religious backing.