A good evaluation.
Of course, as with any authoritarian organization, even one that's low key, the churches makes every effort to control sexuality. Sex is so powerful and pervasive in human society that if you can control that you hold the people by the balls, so to speak. The church does everyting it can to convince its membership it is key to finding a suitable mate.
Most of the Jewish dietary laws were aimed specifically at making Jews different from their neighbors so they could only find mates within their religion. Being unsuitably picky about food to marry outside the "One True Faith" they were kept from slipping away into the background and within easy reach of the authorities.
Roman law allowed any religion you pleased but one government and only one government, Rome. In two populations religion and government were one and the same, the Druids and the Jews. The Druids said "OK" and the Jews rebelled. Today the Druids are forgotten and their descendents dominate most of the world. The Jews are still Jews, but from centuries after century of merciless pounding they pretty much acknowledge separation of church and state, at least for the forseeable future. Which one was right?
Christianity is now on top, but in the fullness of time it too will pass. Hopefully Islam will pass one hell of a lot sooner.
And that's prtty good topic drift for a single post, don't you think?
