Religion the scourage and user of poverty?

Umm.. I don't know if it goes here and I don't know if my friend is right, but she said to be that religion was once the be all and end all of life in Europe when it was in the deepest depths of poverty during the middle ages and now it has decreased in Europe as it has become more wealthier. Now in africa, where it is largely poor, religious numbers are sky rocketing. Does religion feed off the poverty and suffering of people or is it more of the idea that, "poverty breeds ignorance and ignorance breeds poverty"

Religion is an anti-despair mechanism. Basically, people who think life sucks (but can't do anything about it) will be the most succeptable to belief in a wonderous afterlife- because the need something to keep them going.

Religion is a beast with many fathers. Fear, ignorance, poverty, laziness, peer pressure, tyranny, etc. Then one thing that never seems to spawn religious attachment is enlightened reason. Gee, I wonder why?