It is good and useful to be reminded of that, shimrod. There has always been a complicated interplay between civil and religious power and, as far as I know, that applies to all religions. If anyone wants an example look at County Durham where the road signs announce it is "The land of the Prince Bishops"; or look at the fortress of Salzburg. Or the temples of Egypt or Mexico or elsewhere.

But it going a little too far to quite identify one with the other.