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The conversion of the Franks to Catholicism was a strategic alliance with the local ruling class, enabling them to become the predominant military power in Western Europe. This contrasts with the Visigoths and Ostrogoths, who opposed the local ruling class by adhering to Arianism.

The Counter-Reformation, led by figures like Ignatius Loyola who founded the Jesuits, spurred a burst of creativity in Catholic Europe, influencing art and culture. However, this culture eventually fossilized, while Protestantism continued to innovate and embrace new ideas and technologies.

The irony of the Catholic Church's fear of Protestant volatility is that their rigid response may have inadvertently fostered atheism. Both Catholics and Protestants over-relied on religious rules to combat each other, leading to centuries of brutal wars, including the Thirty Years' War, which devastated central Europe.

The Catholic Church played a pivotal role during the Dark Ages by preserving knowledge. As the Roman Empire fell, the Church acted like Asimov's 'Foundation,' maintaining and reintroducing civilization through social engineering and the preservation of classical Greco-Roman lore.

During the early modern period, governments in Catholic Europe, such as Spain and France, collaborated with noblemen to suppress the merchant classes, leading to a decline in economic prosperity compared to Northwestern Europe.

The Catholic and Protestant churches were powerful in pre-modern Europe due to the weak state, providing social organization and fostering ideals of personal responsibility and individualism.

In the 14th century, the Catholic Church's arrogance led to a conflict with the king of France, who murdered the pope and installed a French pope. This period, known as the Babylonian Captivity, marked a low point for Catholicism.

Atheism became dominant in 18th century France due to resentment towards the Catholic Church's rigidity and the lack of religious freedom. This secular tradition developed in response to a strong centralized government and the Church's resistance to change.

In France, the Catholic Church supported freedom and education, collaborating with scientists like Descartes. However, the government maintained a Catholic theocracy, which the Church didn't oppose until the French Revolution. This led to France becoming the most educated country, but also fostered a secular intellectual tradition due to restrictions on religious free thinking.

In France, secularism is seen as a moral good, whereas in Anglo-Saxon countries, religion is viewed as a social stabilizer and a good trait to have. This reflects a significant cultural difference in how religion is perceived across these regions.