You should be able to see there why seemingly every translation renders the Greek into English as "religion."
And the Holy Spirit through James uses "religion" in a positive sense. Not "pathetic" as you phrased it. I'll go with the Holy Spirit on this one, thank you.
My original comment to NYer was in the context of her post about the eastern rite liturgy, which is "ritual worship." My use was wholly in accordance with your lexicon here.
No, the Holy Spirit used θρησκεία. Men used "religion" which isn't even the primary meaning of the word. And did "religion" mean then what it does now? Or perhaps you think all people in the 1890s were homosexuals?