[Cthulhu_]

Likewise, circumcision was a health practice, still applied today to pigs for the same reason.

With both health things and laws, it's often easier to convince people they have to do it because a higher power than them says so, than to explain the reasoning to them.

I mean think of children or dogs (if I may be cruel). A dog doesn't understand why he shouldn't eat off the table, but they do understand that if they do they will get punished. You can't reason with a dog (although it's cute if you talk to them), but you can teach them cause and effect.

I'm still pretty convinced that, while humans individually are and have been pretty smart for as long as we can remember, as a group and statistically they're pretty stupid. If percentage-wise more people will wash their hands and feet more often if they do it as part of a religious ritual, then it's worthwhile.