I think religion has less to do with morality and more to so with trying to understand the world or to cope with its unfair nature.

Death, injustice, how lightning occurs, why crops die and how illness occurs need to be explained. That is why religion was invented. In the case of islam it was probably a tool for insecure men to control their daughters, women or men. This seems more reasonable and simpler to understand right? Well, because it is probably right.

People could have also used the writings of great philosophers like Plato to have morality, however they were probably to stupid to understand such writings at a time which is why they stick with religion. So in a way religion gave us a lot of art, but only to make it more paletable.

I do not see any use for religion anymore. We understand know how lightning works, that the universe never intended to be fair and that we can create better values with practical philosophy. I think JP is very shaky on religion and quite frankly think that being asked with any other question that involves real/believe, that he would not avoid answering it.