why do we have appendix?

One day, when I was studying the human body and the digestion of food, I came to realize that the appendix pretty much does nothing in human body. I’ve seen numerous people who had their appendix removed and they are still breathing like they always did. It was then when I came to ask myself, why the heck do we keep our appendix? It seems like the only thing that it does is causing disease such as appendicitis, so why don’t we just get it removed and prevent disease? It just seems to me that if "God" does exist and he has a purpose for everything, then why did he give us one of these? So, I decided to research appendix to find out if there is any specific reason for us to keep our appendix.

The human appendix is a small dead-end tube connected to the cecum, or ascending colon, one section of the large intestine. The appendix is typically between two and eight inches long, but its length can vary from less than an inch (when present) to over a foot. The appendix is longest in childhood and gradually shrinks throughout adult life. Everyone lives happily with it until it becomes painfully inflamed, when the only treatment is to remove it surgically. Like I did, many people, including doctors have long wondered why we have an appendix, as we clearly don't need one, and they seem to exist only to create a need for an emergency appendectomy. However, a new study reveals that there may be a reason for the appendix.

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=22.0;prev_next=next
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/health/research/17appe.html?_r=1&ref=research
http://surgery.about.com/b/2008/06/23/why-do-we-have-an-appendix.htm

For years, the appendix was credited with very little physiological function. We now know, however, that the appendix serves an important role in the fetus and in young adults. Endocrine cells appear in the appendix of the human fetus at around the 11th week of development. These endocrine cells of the fetal appendix have been shown to produce various biogenic amines and peptide hormones, compounds that assist with various biological control (homeostatic) mechanisms. However, there had been little prior evidence of this or any other role of the appendix in animal research, because the appendix does not exist in domestic mammals.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-the-function-of-t

Unlike for the fetus and young adult, among adult humans, the appendix is now thought to be involved primarily in immune functions. Lymphoid tissue begins to accumulate in the appendix shortly after birth and reaches a peak between the second and third decades of life, decreasing rapidly thereafter and practically disappearing after the age of 60. During the early years of development, however, the appendix has been shown to function as a lymphoid organ, assisting with the maturation of B lymphocytes (one variety of white blood cell) and in the production of the class of antibodies known as immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies. Researchers have also shown that the appendix is involved in the production of molecules that help to direct the movement of lymphocytes to various other locations in the body.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-the-function-of-t

While the researches by the scientist shows that there are some functions of appendix such as producing biogenic amines, peptides hormones in fetus and young adults, and functions as a lymphoid organ in adults, it is still true that we can live without appendix. Also, doctors often indicate that the information’s are true “at this point” which illustrates that they are not 100% certain. Therefore, because we can live perfectly normal life without it, and the functions indicated by scientists are not fully supported or have little evidences, I conclude that the appendix is just a useless organ is better for us to just get it removed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/health/research/17appe.html?_r=1&ref=research