Original sentence: Atheists, agnostics and other freethinkers regard this as showing that believers are expected to follow religious dogma like sheep rather than to question and reason like humans.In both cases, the implication is that the faithful are the "flock" who have to be tended.This is in part inspired by Jesus's injunctions to Peter,  "Feed my sheep," which is the source of the pastoral image in Lycidas
Edited sentence: Atheists, agnostics and other freethinkers may feel that believers are expected to follow religious dogma like sheep rather than to question and reason like humans.In both cases, the implication is that the faithful are the "flock" who have to be tended and would have difficulty managing on  their own