To Rose, and Everyone, I originally was going to post this to you in private, but thought better of it to post on the list. I have a feeling this is something that many people on this list would do well to know. When you say of religion: " religion played in our past history of course, but just don't feel it belongs on our list as a matter of discussion.... " Do you mean to say you don't think we should discuss Religion at all? Or that we should do it under the guidelines I imposed earlier? If you are going to say "not at all" then I have to implore you to reconsider for the following reasons: I've got French Huguenots in my family who are part of my Kissing Cousins, I also have Palatinate Germans who are my Walter/Walter family. Their religions have a great deal to do with 1. Why they left their respective countries in the first place (religious persecution) and 2. Where they moved to - Most Palitinates as I'm finding out now through the internet, moved to Pennsylvania as my Walter family also did. When we are discussing the family, we are talking about a social group with social conditions, and social tendencies. One of those tendencies that IS studied if you are studying Family in any higher educational institution, is Religion. It's recognized as a valid subject in both Anthropology and Sociology. I don't want to see anyone get offended either, but I feel that we should all be thick-skinned enough to at least withstand what any college course would teach us, afterall, we are here to learn, and not supress, correct? My only wish for everyone here is to have the ability to educate themselves, through research. I hope you don't feel that I've stepped on your toes, and if you do, I apologize, but I cannot allow suppression of such an important social matter on this list. Curbed of the opinions, we can discuss it without hurting anyone, as long as we remember not to be offending. Betsy Hale KISSINGCOUSINS-L