Religion- Importance and Significance in the Modern World

Religion is one of the most ancient, sacred and time tested institution in society that is used as an instrument of social control. Religion espouses certain values and ethics which serve as a yardstick to measure our actions against. People feel that there is some power, or institution wielding immense power to which we are accountable to. In such a situation people would think before committing certain acts which are not accepted by the society. Due to the presence of such a force a person would think before committing a certain unacceptable act. Here religion assumes the role of a social control barometer.
Religion also takes up the function of instilling positive and good values in a human being. The religious texts and legends that are passed down from one generation to another always have an idol person as their protagonist. This idol person is common across religions and cultures. This person is instilled with good sense, obedience and other qualities that, when present in a person are considered to make him a “good” person. This protagonist is given the status of god. Now people who are made to pay obeisance before this god have a person of supreme stature with idol values whom they want to follow, if not emulate.
All religions espouse some good activities which they presume would benefit the community at large.
Despite the fact that religion is the fountainhead of such good qualities, it is also used to draw divisions in our society at the