Why are rules important in religion?

Answer 1

People of faith believe that God knows what is best for people as individuals and the human race as a whole. Humans experience conflict between doing things which are beneficial to self and others, and tending to do the opposite. People who believe in God hold that God has given us rules/guidelines which are full of wisdom, and which will help both the individual and society. For Jews, this wisdom is found in the Hebrew scriptures, for Christians in the whole of The Bible, for Muslims in the Qur'an and for Hindus in the Vedas. Although much of what is contained in these writings is peculiar to them, there is a common thread which is called the "Golden Rule": treat others as you would wish them to treat you.

Answer 2

Religions are methods of practice, as opposed to faith which is broader, harder to define and has to do with one's actual relationship to the deity. As practices, most mainstream religions have many rules, some of which are so important that breaking them amounts to serious sin, or even a break of fellowship. The rules serve the purpose of social bonding and clan loyalty. If you obey, you are 'IN', and the rest of the group 'has your back'. If you don't obey, you are on the fringe at best, and an outcast at worst. As only one example of many the Roman Catholic Church has rules (that have changed over the decades) around preparation for receiving the Holy Eucharist. In the 50's, the fast before Communion was from midnight, regardless of when Communion was received that day. Later the fast became three hours prior to Communion. It was considered a mortal sin to deliberately break this fast. There was a perpetual abstinence from meat on all Fridays, and that rule has been changed to Fridays during the season of Lent. There are rules around attendance at Mass, and failure to comply results in mortal sin. In fact, if a Holy Day of Obligation falls on a Saturday, Mass must be attended on both Saturday and Sunday, or the rules have been broken, resulting in mortal sin. Saturday evening Mass does not cover both obligations, because the Saturday Mass covers the obligation accruing to the holy day, and not to the following Sunday, with its attendant obligation. The more orthodox branches of Judaism are famous for observance of Law and of traditions. The Hebrew Scriptures and other Jewish writings based upon them describe hundreds of rules or laws that are taken very seriously by the devout. There are some religions, particularly in some Asian traditions, that are not as bound by rules as some of the religions in the west. But no religions are free from rules of any kind, or else it is impossible to consider the religion a 'practice'.

Answer 3

Rules are important in religion to provide guidance on moral behavior, foster a sense of community, and uphold the teachings and principles of the faith. They help followers understand expectations, create structure, and ensure adherence to core beliefs.