Hi Richard,
 > Which brings me to ask, how important is religion, then?
Well Crusades, Jihads, the BJP in India, the Taliband in Afghanistan, the 
religious divide in Ireland etc would seem to show that religion has some 
influence.
However where are the boundaries of religion over culture made? I've heard 
some (western) people say female circumsicion is a matter of culture and then 
feel free to try and stop it in places because they don't see themselves in 
intefering in a religion's sphere. 
 However if the practioners  of the female circumsicion see their practice as 
a matter of religion - how can an outside group of people say it is not part 
of their religion?
Now I am not comfortable with  circumsicion either female or male.
bye
Peter
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