Is religion a sort of Orwellian thought police system?

In George Orwell's book 1984 the state had made it a crime to have subversive thoughts and a police to enforce it. Isn't organized religion a kind of thought police, ensuring people do not commit sins such as having lustful thoughts for someone they were not married to? While not a crime the priest in confession is the enforcer to help prevent you from having those thoughts again - by making you fear for your eternal soul.