Something like this happened ~1000-1400 CE in Japan. When the center was too poor to defend the temple estates, the temple estates raised armies to protect themselves from "bandits." Ultimately, the result was the 戦国時代, or Warring States Period. We're speedrunning the process.
Up until recently, I was not a fan of taxing churches. But now I think either we should tax churches, or we should all just declare ourselves churches until something changes. Since there aren't any rules about it anymore.
It’s interesting that the gut reaction to this for many is that taxing churches is the answer rather than simply requiring the same financial transparency for churches that other charities are compelled to provide.
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I kinda miss the era when Athiests were political/legal Actors, rather than cultural/media ones.
20th century : Murray O'Hare fights Prayer in Schools. Wins.
21st: Sam Harris sez "MUSLIMS BAD! BUY MY BOOK!"