Even then, a phrase like this "people take their metaphysical beliefs seriously, and use them to guide their behavior" is so terribly unempirical, and completel

Even then, a phrase like this "people take their metaphysical beliefs seriously, and use them to guide their behavior" is so terribly unempirical, and completely undefined, starting with the weird description of "ego". That said, in the most trivial sense, religion does alter your behavior. The rest is the kind of reasoning that gives philosophy a bad name.