Religion is a doctrine best suited to bring order in human life by promise of salvation. The qualification for that salvation is laid out by religion in form of a doctrine of life to be followed by devotees. That code of life commands behavioral patterns and sense of right and wrong. Social relations are defined by it and secondary institutions like legislature and political offices are by and large made to facilitate execution of mode of morality given by religion. Political systems in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Vatican are its right examples. Political authorities in these states execute authority primarily to regulate their respective populations on purely religious lines. States may renounce pure religious dispositions but they cannot over-rule religious beliefs outright as spiritual doctrines command passionate devotion which, when interrupted, generates conflict. For instance, despite utterly secular outlook, abortion could not be legalized in most of the western countries including the United States for the reason no other than pressure from Vatican and regional religious bodies denouncing abortion as an act devoid of Christian morality. Religion even influences foreign policies of nations. Following Israeli aggression on Egypt during Gamal Abdel Nasser's regime Arab world imposed an oil embargo on western countries on the pretext that Israel had attacked a Muslim country and the West aided her. Likewise, when a news firm in Denmark published satirical cartoons of the founder of Islamic religion in 2008, majority of Muslim countries strongly condemned Denmark for not censoring provoking material. Another example is of Pakistan which, in keeping pace with the public aspirations, has not recognized Israel as a state, joining the league of those countries who consider Israel a band of intruders in Muslim land.
Major utility of a religious belief is that it assures eternal happiness in the after-life, a virtue divided unequally among men in the present world.
