@goshinj Depends on which church you're talking about. Islam and Satanists certainly have variations of that theme, as do some Protestant factions. Buddhists, Jews, and Orthodox/Catholics do not believe that, and aside from assorted heresies/corruptions over the centuries they never have. Not sure about Hindus.
Did you actually pay attention in your history classes, or did you sleep through them and everything you know comes from getting your rocks off to nonsense like TFS Hellsing?
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On a similar note, one of the things I find both hilarious and macabre about religious history is that, whenever religions held service to their deity/concept of choice as their highest priority, they are far more often than not a boon to human history. In particular, their greatest failures come about when they subordinate themselves (or fall prey) to secular powers. Christian monks and nuns preserving the knowledge of the Romans and using it to further develop great advances in science and music, only to have much of it destroyed by Viking raids and bush wars between kings. The teachings of Buddha spreading to China and Japan, and being directly responsible for some of their most remarkable eras of peace. The First Crusade being wildly successful in pushing back the Islamic invaders and establishing the Crusader Kingdoms, with other subsequent crusades being destroyed primarily by infighting and political power plays.
Religion and government tend to work best when they address the things that the other does not handle well. If this latest chapter is any indication, the next arc is going to be a fine example of the failures brought about by a church subordinating itself to secular authorities.
