We may have to agree to disagree. Culture, identity, and politics were and have always been closely woven in my view, for the Mongols as for so many peoples. Shifts in religious identity are especially profound - that's why we hear so much about them in the sources, ...
even when we learn very little about so many other things. Authors (often writing on behalf of political patrons) considered these matters important and worthy of record. I'm not sure how much further we can take our discussion given that we do seem to fundamentally ...
...disagree on this point, but I've enjoyed our conversation and may I wish you the best is your research.
I'm not saying shifts in religious identity weren't important. I'm saying: Were they so important that they superseded the common Mongol identity of the various members of the Chinggisid family to the point of driving them apart along regional and specific cultural lines?
Personally, my answer is: No, because I think this is not what the sources say, and we have concrete evidence of the contrary. That said, it's good to have a fair debate from time to time, and I enjoyed this one. All the best to you!