Religion of some type is important in all cultures. It is the foundation of myths, rituals, ethics, doctrines and social structure. Religion is the basis for society, even though in technological societies it may not have a physical presence in day to day life, it takes on the form of accepted laws, social taboos and morals. Tradition has a major role in religion. It is because of tradition that Christians celebrate Christmas, Jews have Hanukkah and the Muslims celebrate Ramadan.
Religion is a stabilizing influence upon society.
It allows the people in one culture to be more uniform, have the same beliefs, morals and understanding of the world. This makes it easier for the people in that culture to get along, but religion can have a negative aspect, too. Religion emphasizes social structure by keeping patterns of behavior in place and resisting outside forces, which are contrary to the culture's beliefs. When a foreign belief or idea comes into contact with a very strict religious social structure, it can have a devastating affect upon that society. For example, the people of Ireland could not have a divorce or use contraceptives.