It always surprises me that people think Buddhism, or any religion, is naturally peaceful. Religions are not significantly different from each other in cultural effects, or rather, any religion will interact with the other parts of the culture. So you can have Christianity of a totally pacifistic kind, like the Quakers and Mennonites, and you can have Christianity of the “Fuck your nation, you’re our slaves if you’re not dead” kind. And you can have Buddhism of the simple wooden bowl and enlightenment kind, or of the “Killing people doesn’t really matter in the great wheel of life” kind.

Religion is not separate from culture. It’s just another part of it, no different from any other aspect.