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In the mid to late 20th century, many predominantly Catholic regions like Ireland and Quebec experienced rapid secularization, shifting from strong Catholic influence to more secular societies.

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.

Alec Riri's book 'Doubt' explores the history of atheism, suggesting that the Catholic-Protestant theological disputes contributed to a society where Christianity permeated but wasn't enforced, allowing for the growth of secular thought.

Napoleon, who rose to military dictator, made a deal with the Pope to bring Catholicism back because he thought religion was necessary to social functioning. This was after the French Revolution, which was atheist and persecuted Catholicism in France, the most populous Catholic nation in the world.

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.