The notion that religion is a force produced by cultural evolution, and that it primarily exists to produce functional benefits to individuals and groups can also explain why religions are in decline in some parts of the world. As human societies created nations, and devised mechanisms for self-governance, the punitive gods who were so effective at enforcing group norms and ethical behavior were no longer as necessary. Soldiers from diverse faiths could now be inspired to fight and die for the same country, instead of the same god.
