[thejeff]

I'm not sure it makes sense to talk about religion with State
backing as being some kind of anomaly.

Religious leaders have often sought temporal power. Temporal leaders have often sought religious backing to justify whatever it is they want to do anyway.

If all you are saying is that when Christians have no power they're harmless, then that's almost a tautology.

Was the Catholic Church throughout most of it's history "state supported"? Or were the states given legitimacy by the Church?