Hi, Raoul, (by the way, Envisat looks super!)
Thanks for pointing out that a religion, as well as being a product of it's culture, is an overlay of that culture, often trying to bring harmony into what has always been less than calm.

I suspect that in order to survive religions have had to create an "us against them" mood, for their own internal cohesion. Fundamental Christianity in the US is very obviously "us against them" and seems to have little interest in allowing other beliefs. "My way or the highway!!" is the consistent message from the likes of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and their ilk.

One of the problems the US seems to be having is allowing other cultures to be different, and to work out their own problems. Islams treatment of women has run afoul of the US womens lib movement, and has become a visible irritant. While I don't think it's right, a reality is that most of those women have been born into that situation, have been raised in it, and it's their religious belief, too. It will change in time as they are exposed to the "outside" world just as attitudes in the West have changed. But if change is imposed from the outside it will destabilize their entire society, including families.

To my way of thinking we have enough problems at home that we don't need to be involving ourselves all that much elsewhere, for instance in European problems such as Bosnia. (But then, we went into Bosnia on the eve of some of Clinton's Lewinsky problems. I like his politics, but what a scumbag!!) We have a hemisphere rife with difficulties we could focus on.

And, I appreciate your pointing out that religion is an overlay on the existing society, which is often divided and violent.

Arf