[oldbrowser]

But for Catholics, this has never been the case, and the Church has often been in conflict with the State.

I just read where Chinese priests are being subjected to "reprogramming" for not conforming to Chinese law regarding allegiance to the state.

[livius]

Yes, and China has a "state-owned" version of the Church just to deal with such things! It wouldn't surprise me to see some Western countries quietly encouraging their own versions of the Catholic Church - that is, keeping the name and the practices, such as they are, but putting the law of the state above that of God and/or the Church. I suspect that's the church to which Kerry belongs...