for machiavelli, religion is valued not by the importance of its founder, the content of its teachings, the truth of its dogmas or the significance of its rites. it is not the essence of what really matters but its function and importance for collective life. religion teaches to recognize and respect political rules through the religious commandments. this collective norm could assume the outer coercive aspect of the military discipline as well as the inner persuasive character of civic and moral education for the production of collective consensus.
