@Polaris: then you consider all religions to be expressions of belief in a common god? I am new in terms of posts here and unfamiliar with your views. If you do not so believe, then you have not answered my implied queries.
I expect it would only be in a sermon that you would hear that religion was key to the formation of societies by giving common authority and accountability. Consider a bunch of apes. They seem to have authority and accountability unaided by evident religion but by power dominance. In humans capable of more complex ideation, religion was a handy reinforcement of authority. Associated or a component of civilisation therefore, because it was what people were doing in their lives but not initiating nor the principal force.
I recollect as a teenager realising that the only way to believe in god was to believe in god, that faith was necessary for faith. No wonder I abandoned it.
I expect it would only be in a sermon that you would hear that religion was key to the formation of societies by giving common authority and accountability. Consider a bunch of apes. They seem to have authority and accountability unaided by evident religion but by power dominance. In humans capable of more complex ideation, religion was a handy reinforcement of authority. Associated or a component of civilisation therefore, because it was what people were doing in their lives but not initiating nor the principal force.
I recollect as a teenager realising that the only way to believe in god was to believe in god, that faith was necessary for faith. No wonder I abandoned it.