Why are rules important in religion?

People of faith believe that God knows what is best for people as individuals and the human race as a whole. Humans experience conflict between doing things which are beneficial to self and others, and tending to do the opposite. People who believe in God hold that God has given us rules/guidelines which are full of wisdom, and which will help both the individual and society. For Jews, this wisdom is found in the Hebrew scriptures, for Christians in the whole of The Bible, for Muslims in the Qur'an and for Hindus in the Vedas. Although much of what is contained in these writings is peculiar to them, there is a common thread which is called the "Golden Rule": treat others as you would wish them to treat you.