Politicians and Priests sleeping together.

"Man is either a smart ape or a divine incarnation depending on the state of his consciousness..."
With this notion there leaves no possibility for growth. It can be understood differently.
Man can be considered to be a bridge. The link that connects the animal to the divine. Out of all the animals, he is the only one born with the potential to become a divine being. His roots lay within his animal heritage. Moving toward the divine is only a possibility. He may choose to realize that potential possibility or choose to remain at some other point along that bridge. It is entirely up to him.

"Even if you consider yourself to be a part of the Divine that does not make it so."
The potential is there, nevertheless. It is all up to each individual to actualize it or not. The problem is in overcoming the conditioning of the society. All societies condition the individual to believe that reaching to the divine is not a possibility. Such an individual poses a threat to the society. Such individuals are dangerous. That is why they are put down... poisoned, murdered or crucified. It is because these people are the the most rebellious of all. And that rebelliousness can become contagious with others.

"But since it is impossible except for a rare few to achieve that state it really doesnt belong in a discussion of politics."
On this point I disagree. Such individuals have always created a problems for the societies that create politicians. Pontius Pilate, being a representative of the Roman Empire made probably the most important political decision of his career in ordering the crucifixion of a man like Jesus.
This may just be a parable as far as I know. But the enlightened have always been feared by governments throughout history. Socrates was poisoned for corrupting the minds of the youth according to the politicians of the Greek government.

And so it is the politics of the societies of the world that seek to eliminate these people whenever they arise. To keep their exploited members from finding out about such people. And to ensure that the possibility of such people ever arising again is kept at an absolute minimum. And the way they do it is through the conditioning of the child.
Like I have said previously, the society conditions the individual so that he can be easily controlled, manipulated and exploited. You have been conditioned to 'believe' that it is impossible to happen for you. Hence you are following the dictates of the society. Perhaps, in your case, the conditioning has been for the most part a success.

"Religion (not spiritual practice) is just an excuse people use for gaining power over others and is little more than a mass delusion which very often turns into violence.
All religions should be viewed as potentially radical extremist political philosophies whose goals are antithetical to Freedom and Justice."
"The threat of radical religious groups to ones freedoms should never be underestimated."
Agreed. The established so-called religions of the world are tied to the governments and they both work together to control and exploit individuals. The priests of the world are the most unholy of people. They have nothing to do with any real religiousness. Nothing to do with increasing awareness. Everything to do with keeping the masses in a drunken stupor of beliefs. Nothing to do with freedom of any kind. And everything to do with keeping man bound in a psychological prison of his own making.