I don't think that is what religions are, although certainly hierarchies and inequality can be justified on religious grounds - but then so can the opposite.

Religion, theist or not, is just a philosophical analysis of our world and how it works, with resulting prescriptions and advice about how to best interact with the world.

Its not really a matter of proof or disproof. Atheistic cults come and go, in accordance with the perspective of the adherants due to their circumstances, just as theistic ones do.

When a monotheist says there is one god, they are rejecting (or sythesising) other civilisational role models and teachings, and promoting unity of perspective, and claiming that the universe has a singular fundamental nature. When an atheist responds that there is no god, they are rejecting that perspective, probably because it doesn't suit their cicrumstances or interests, they are reacting against the proposed unity of perspective and the role model/teacher described.

Since religion is just a lens to comprehend, I don't think it really matters if somebody is a theist or not (we are all religious, since its how people conceptualise the world), unless particular aspects of that belief cause harm for themselves or others.