Having traveled a decent amount, I have been able to see many temples and churches of different denominations around the world, and I must say, to your point, there is a consistent theme of opulence and hedonism throughout. These religious building do often make for a great picture though.
To your second point of the "holier than thou" attitude, I think it inevitably results from human nature. We instinctually either fear or discredit things that we do not understand. If this is what I believe in, then it must be the best and only thing to believe in, right?
RE: Our Fair Lady