And we have GW Bush to thank for this development.
His administration had the idea that charitable organizations could dole out government charity at lower cost than government itself could.
And they did until the government loaded on all of the bureaucratic paperwork that follows government money. Next came the professional class employees to make sure that the government requirements were met.
Soon enough charitable organizations are government organizations in every sense except name.
Good point on GW Bush.
That said—each religious organization had to decide whether to get into bed with .gov.
Greed won.
Satan won.