Religion as a way of life

If we want to start the discussion about religion and its effects we have at first to define it.
“Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things (…) set apart and forbidden - beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church all those who adhere to them”.
Since religious beliefs and practices have played a crucial role in evolution of the world we know today we should study it more to be able to predict future development.
The religion exists since the civilisation has started to develop. We can find the evidence in the prehistoric times when people started to think about the origin of life, about birth and death looking for explanations about natural phenomena. Their level of thinking and possible knowledge enabled them to find answer only in a transcendental Being that is responsible for all circumstances and creation. Consequently the faith was necessary for developing cultures and nations. Its task in society was essential: it stimulated the development of art, the social organization, family life and stimulated the rhythm of everyday activities. It was unthinkable to worship no gods because religion was an affair of the group and the society, and these are essentially political entities.
Religion was very effective mean of uniting a nation and ruling it, maintaining the power and order; and creating the general unifying principle. This can have also negative effect, because the policy of religion and especially a church is often misused against other nation and the fight is spread by violence.
Religion is also a form of heritage, mostly it is not a matter of individual choice but faith is instilled into the members of the society and required of them. Religion is something like collective representation of the society.
Religion has two functions: regulation and stimulation. Regulation of individual behaviour is important for the good of all, or in other words, the group, and it is religion which has been largely responsible for this regulative task in the history of human societies. Religion also stimulates a feeling of community and unity. Ritual is a repetitive statement of unity and functions to consolidate the community.