I have found even eastern Buddhist sects are largely doing the same thing.

Very true. Buddhism and Hinduism were born from caste based cultures that use the concept of reincarnation as a way to control the masses. If you were born into a low caste it was because of some past life karma that you need to work through so you should just accept your place in society. When I was living in Nepal I noticed a large number of locals who had converted to Christianity. Nepalis loved that religion for a couple reasons: 1- there is no caste system, everyone is equal in the eyes of the Lord and 2- no more karmic cycle and reincarnation, all you have to do is accept Jesus Christ as your savior and you go to Heaven. For a low caste Hindu or a Buddhist this is very attractive. So they took Christianity, stripped it of the ugly bits, adapted it to Nepali culture and it has become their new-age feel-good religion - very much like what we've done to Buddhism and Hinduism in the west.