What is the purpose of religion?

It is often assumed that the purpose of religion is to shape its adherents into nicer people. However, a quick look at the number and variety of unpleasant people in every religious tradition gives the lie to this idea. If religion doesn’t make people nicer, what is it actually for?

Every religion and philosophy has a shadow side — the flip-side of the ideals it strives for. And there are plenty of people ready and willing to strive for those ideals without being mindful of the shadow that t...