Marx called religion "the opium of the people," but every known human society has some form of religion.

(a) How does religion aid in the process of socialization, and how would the absence of religion make a difference in society?

(b) Conversely, what would happen if Jesus' original teachings (turn the other cheek, love thy neighbor as thyself, let him who is without sin cast the first stone, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven) were taken seriously in present-day America? [If you prefer, you can substitute another major religious figure for Jesus.] 

(c) Next, what is the difference between religion and spirituality? 

(d) Finally, give examples from your own life in which religion or the lack of religion made a difference to you, and analyze why it did.