Is religion a solution or a problem?

Religion is one word that baffles not only me but lot of individuals in this world. I remember that when I was a kid my parents used to take me to the gurudwara in our town and they taught me the evening prayers and the meaning of those prayers. Festivals used to be special occasions and going to a religious place used to be a must do activity in the family rule book. I grew up in such kind of environment where religious beliefs were inculcated in my mind through my parents acts, seeing them doing the prayers, seeing them visiting gurudwara every week and lighting candles there on diwali. In my growing years I kept on following the same path, although with a little deviation, and would have kept following it till date if this question wont have arisen in my mind – Does religion really provides the solution to all our problems or religion itself is a biggest problem to be handled by mankind. I will go back to the reason of this question. During my growing up years I came across variety of people and their varied beliefs and sometimes conflicts. Then came the news related to religious conflicts happening in some part of the world, sometimes in some part of country and sometimes in vicinity. All this made my mind think why this is happening, why can’t people of one religion live in harmony with that of other. Is this because of intrusion of one religion in another or if the mere presence of people of other religion pose a threat to existence of the other. All these things take you to the definition of religion and in that matter the reason of it.
India has been originator of few of world’s big religion namely Hinduism, Bhudhism and Jainism. Muslim and Christianity religion came from outside, then we have few newly developed ones like Sikhism. So now the next question, why so many? Starting of every new religion happened with one line – There is only one God. If there is one God then why do we have so many ways to worship Him. Infact religion has changed the definition of God so much that today I sometimes doubt in his mere existence. I cannot deny the fact that there is somebody who takes care of all the things that happen here or anywhere (might be because of my upbringing I cannot agree to His non-existence). But the question arises that if we need a religion to worship that one big person sitting somewhere up there. Is religion the means of reaching that person. Do we need some means to reach Him. What does religion teaches us. 1. There is a God. 2. We should always worship Him. 3. We should follow some set of rules to stay in the religion. I totally agree with point 1 although it is very personalized choice that if an individual wants to believe in the existence of God or if he doesn’t want to believe in that. Second point is again upto one’s perception. One may want to worship Him always and one may just want to bow to his mere presence that . All religions teach you different ways of praying. If we are praying to one God only then why do I need 100 different ways to do that. And then the 3rd point for which I am not sure. Today’s world is more religion centric instead of being God centric. We have books/epics/sculptures which teach the similar thing in different way. The means of conveying is different but the things that are conveyed are same. Why don’t we leave this point to be decided by an individual rather than a religion doing it. Does an individual always need a mentor who can set the rules for him, who tells him what to do and what not to and how to do it. In our case I think religion is doing the same. Older the religion gets more difficult it becomes to follow those rules. Any amendments in the rules give birth to new religion and then new set of rules. But can a human survive without being mentored. Would he become a spoil brat in absence of these rules? As an individual I will say no but as member of society I really don’t know the answer and don’t know if someday something would come that would replace the word religion with some globalized term and practice?