[wideawake]

That’s largely the history of Protestantism.

In the United States after 1750, certainly. In Europe, not so much.

The original poster seemed to be referencing maintaining a consistent body of doctrine for the whole society. And that obviously requires coercion.

I see your point. That being said, all legislation that is not merely procedural coerces a specific moral view on citizens.

Insofar as morality is doctrinal (and it is), all societies engage in doctrinal coercion.

[Sherman Logan]

I quite agree.

While I was referring to specifically religious doctrine, the same obviously applies to any sort of moral view.

That’s what law IS, the imposition of the society’s moral views on individuals by coercion.