Insofar as religions deal with people, places and events, they are amenable to historical analyses. But religions deal with a reality that transcends history - a reality that the senses cannot perceive and the intellect cannot fathom, yet with which the soul can commune. At that point in awareness one is in the domain of faith.
Faith is better than belief.
Belief can mature into faith. The intangible realm of faith is a symbolic reality that is best expressed through symbols. It is well to remember that the dimension of faith is not that of science. By definition Symbols and signs signify something else beyond themselves, yet a symbol participates in defining the reality to which it points. A flag is not a nation but a symbol of it and attests to the shared history and dignity of a nation.