That quote is just plain stupid.
What do you think it means? I think it means when that without a God in the picture who is wiling and able to punish evildoers, evil will reign. Religion works as a check on selfish impulses, especially on those in power.
SD
I have a couple of problems with this. One, there are wicked religious people and moral non-religious people. Two, its my view "hell" is not a place where God continually tortures people for eternity by burning them.