Нужен перевод текста religion flourishes in some form in all human societies. many of the everyday customs and practices of some nations have roots in religion. even in the west, where there are generally no strict religious rules of life, many still go to church, temple, or syn¬agogue to take part in ritualistic ceremonies. these ceremonies, also called "religious services", include such things as weekly or daily prayer meetings, special gatherings during the year to celebrate important religious events, special events such as weddings and funerals, and services which celebrate a child's development from childhood to adulthood. since people are basically the same all over the world, the types of events celebrated are not surprisingly the same as well from religion to religion. however, the special clothing and robes worn, the special language used, the preparation and types of food and drink consumed, the songs sung, the prayers and chants repeated, the architecture and design of the houses of worship, the interior decorations celebrating the religion, and much more, vary greatly from religion to religion, creating the "ritualistic ceremonies" unique to each religion. one of the most important functions of any religion is to help explain the unknown. what is the origin of the world? what happens when we die? what is the purpose of life? what is in the distant heavens? is there a need for suffering? questions like these have required a special kind of answer, one that turns to some idea of a world outside our own, a world of spirits, perhaps, or of gods and goddesses. such a world needs interpretation, and the religious leader has traditionally fulfilled the role of the interpreter and mediator between the supernatural and natural worlds. in addition, the religious leader stands guard over the tradition of which he is a part, by teaching the rituals of the religion to future generations, by performing services using these, very rituals, and by making sure that the laws and values of his religion are correctly understood and enforced by its followers. but religion is not there simply to provide answers to traditional questions about religious practices and spirituality. a religion can provide the moral fabric or structure for the people of a nation. that is: it can guide its people on what is important in life; it can help them cope with everyday problems; and it can establish what are considered to be "accepted" ways of dealing with individuals or groups in many different situations. a religion can be very helpful in creating a sense of order and stability for the mind. if the religion is too rigid in its beliefs, and intolerant of other religions and cultures, the people of a nation can be too rigid as well in their beliefs and intolerant of others
