It's a debated topic, too some extent you can argue that it acted much like a religion, like other dictatorships we see today Ex. North Korea. Uses symbols like the holding of the blood flag "Blutfahne" , and treatment of the flag as a "holy" symbol. Couldn't touch the ground, blessed other banners, one flag bearer ect. ect. Books like Mein Kampf which were given out like hotcakes, Mao's red book ect ect.

Extreme Ideology that runs on fanaticism.