text: what is the role of religion in society? at what point in the development of societies did religion, or at least some form of pre-religious organized belief structure, come to exist?  how and why did religion form? is it merely the result of the organization of beliefs, or does religion fulfill a particular societal need? put another way, is religion the organization of a primarily personal phenomenon, or is it more societal in nature? what is the relationship between the individual, the religion and the society?  if religion fulfills certain societal or personal needs, what are these needs, and can they be fulfilled outside religion? how are they fulfilled today, if they are? it is the moral fabric and value system that people need.  faith gives life a purpose and meaning.  the church itself provides a supportive community for individuals in many phases of life.  the church can be a loving, supportive, but also disciplining part of the person's life.  the people of the faith community provide a lot of benevolent care to the needy of the community and do it out of their own time and pocketbook.    faith in god continually points away from a self centered view of life to caring about others and giving to the needs of our immediate community.