There seems to be two questions here. First is: is religion an
emotional crutch?
If you mean by emotional crutch something that helps you deal with emotional crises, then yes, I believe so. It should be much easier to deal with the death of a loved one, for example, if you believe in some sort of afterlife. Even my favorite humanist, Kurt Vonnegut likes to say of his friends that have passed on: "He is in heaven now."
In times of economic hardship we are comforted with the fact that God1 loves us, even if we a poor. When our good actions are met with unkindness, we persevere, because we know that God is pleased with us, even when others are not.
So yes, in that way, religion is an emotional crutch.
On the other hand the question in bold face is: Is religion nothing more than an emotional crutch?
I believe it is not.
I believe religion not only supports us emotionally, but challenges us. Challenges us to be better people, by setting high moral standards. Now, I am Catholic (a cursory glance at my nodes list will confirm that), and I believe, along with Aquinas that moral standards, the right thing to can be reasoned out without "divine revelation." But it is religion that constantly reminds us of it, even if we do not think about it. In a sense then, it is also an intellectual crutch.
I do believe that religion challenges you to be responsible for your own actions. Isn't this what the Last Judgement2 is all about? And confession3, isn't that what it's about? Admitting to someone: "it is my fault." In a sense, religion is also a moral crutch.
Religion then, is a crutch -- it is most effective when we are at our weakest.
1 for theists. Whizkid would argue -correctly - that not all religions believe in a God, or many gods.
2 for most Christians.
2 for Catholics. What can I say, using particular examples to explain the general case. Sue me.