[HarleyD]

...the big difference was in the readiness of the ruling class to take on religious excuses in order to take greater control.

That sound much like an analysis the Jews had about the early church.

[MarkBsnr]

Early church? Or later on, say, during the Middle Ages?

The folks in the early church was kinda busy avoiding being killed by lions in the arena, or being crucified by the civil authorities and similar pursuits.