Yes, but you have to look at it from a societal-engineering mindset. Religion was vital in getting everyone to commit to the collective rather than the individual.

FWIW, it's difficult to analyze this through today's society because I think the cancer of individualism rampant in our society bleeds into everyone regardless of their faith. For example, many Christians pray and act in order to be saved; totally individualistic. I believe this is a byproduct of our age, and with a more collectivist societal mindset we could address things like this.