Quote:
Originally Posted by Xanthos
I'm a deist. I went because I have to write a paper on the religious institution for my sociology class. One of the requirements is to attend a religious event of some kind, like a church service or something. Hence the  .
- X |
With Catholicism, you might want to take into account the political institution as well as the religious one. Unlike most religions, Catholics have a religion tied into a state that engages in trade, government, and diplomacy. While the Vatican does not have its own military, the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of the Vatican, once had a powerful military and waged war for purely religious reasons and to expand its influence. In stark contrast to other religions, even ones with religious governments, like Iran, the Vatican's authority transcends its boundaries. Other nations may be inspired by religious doctrine but even moderate theocrats do not actually tend to hold the top positions of power. A prime example of this is Israel, which has a parliamentary government with a constitution vaguely guided by Judaism but has a secular government like that of the United States. Catholicism would be a great study in religion since it is so unique.