Which theoretical perspective sees religion as an agent of harmful social control?

Marxism and Nihilism.

Explanation:

There are several theoretical perspectives that consider religion as an obstacle for society progress, in the case of Nietzsche, religion is an obstacle for individuals, for he is necessary to overcome a slavery stage were the confidence in a superior god distracts us from standing our values, necessary condition for the superior man.

But Marxism is perphaps the most concerned about this issue. Resumed in his famous quote 'Religion is the opium of the people' Marx tries to point a particular opressive structure of the system he describes in his work.

For Marx, religion and church are branches of capitalism that execute their power controlling the minds of the people and therefore, are an obstacle to revolution.