What is religion's purpose?

After reading both books, a common theme was the involvement of religion and technology. Postman claims that religious content will be replaced by entertainment and theatricality (Chapter 8). Huxley shows that even in a technologically sophisticated society, there is still a need for a god of some kind and that god was referred to as Ford or Freud.

Although, I am a practicing Catholic, I have never been a stout believer in the need for an organized religion with defined rules made up by man rather than God. My real question is, what is the purpose of religion today?

I believe that religion is used to comfort people about their lives and their "after life". In our modern age of enlightened scientific knowledge and thought, the use of God and religion is to provide a sort of backup plan. This backup plan is used whenever there is no clearly defined reason or explanation for any kind of phenomenon. Although we won't know the real purpose for why there is a religion in Brave New World, we can infer that it is another form of control to help maintain stability. This is a commonality between our societies. Although, in our society, people are separated into different houses of faith not unlike a cage at a zoo.

I am not saying religion is bad, but I am merely questioning what purpose it may serve today.