I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 400: Money can even summon ghosts (4)

The ideal relationship between politics and religion is one where they generally don’t interfere with each other.

It’s fine if, for example, the government opposes an issue that anyone would find angering, such as starting an unreasonable war or repressing workers, regardless of political ideology.

But once religion starts involving itself in political beliefs and intervening in matters of state, it inevitably becomes corrupted. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

However, the reality is always harsh, and the world is often in a miserable state.

“Lord Rothschild, what do you think?”

“What are you referring to?”

“It’s about Duke Sforza’s proposal for the emperor to take control of the clergy’s appointment rights. I must say, I do like his suggestion. But I’m still concerned about one thing.”

“Are you worried about the opposition from the Deus Church?”

When religion and politics become completely intertwined, a hybrid theocracy is born.

To put it simply, it’s the kind of nation where your school teacher could also be the pastor, and the mayor might also be a pastor.

Though no nation on the Albanian continent, including the Toscani Empire, has reached such a complete merger between politics and religion...

Right now, religious figures are playing the role of low-level civil servants at the bottom, all the way up to forcing policies they want on the people in the name of God.

With that kind of power, religious figures demand donations, including tithes, from politicians in exchange for their support.

‘This is like a money-hungry thug, not a religious figure.’

In the 21st century, this seems absurd, but in the medieval fantasy world of the Toscani Empire, this is considered normal.

But common sense must gradually evolve with the times.

“If you had asked His Majesty the same question five years ago, I would have answered that we must never break ties with the Deus Church.”

At my words, the emperor smiled.

“Five years ago, our empire and the Toscani Empire were worlds apart. Does that mean, then, that now I can freely exercise the right to appoint and dismiss clergy without any issues?”

“Yes, that’s right. With vast amounts of money and newspapers to control public opinion, controlling corrupt and degenerate clergy isn’t all that difficult.”

The reason why clergy had such great influence in medieval Europe is simple.

In a feudal society, the king couldn’t appoint anyone he wanted to be baron or count.

However, bishops and higher clergy were appointed by the pope. If they didn’t listen to the church, their lives could be taken at any moment (compared to the life of a feudal lord), and to rise higher, one had to listen to the papacy very carefully.

This meant that the church’s influence, even in the smallest rural village, could dominate public opinion.

But now? It’s the emperor’s newspapers that control public opinion.

“In fact, if not now, it would never happen.”

I am someone who firmly supports the separation of church and state.

However, in the current Toscani Empire, the separation of church and state is practically impossible.

The alternative is to act as if the emperor is a wise ruler, and give him the power to appoint and dismiss clergy. In doing so, he will be able to crush the wicked and corrupt elements of society.

‘If the Toscani Empire prospers, I’ll be able to become even richer.’

The top 100 richest people in Korea are incredibly wealthy, but the top 100 richest people in the U.S. have wealth that dwarfs that.

Even further, the richest person in America is the richest person in the world.

If I want to become rich, I need to make the Toscani Empire like America, right?

If I make it a good country, Leo will be able to live comfortably.

“Your Majesty, I’ve seen just one true, sincere clergyman in my life. On the other hand, that means that all the other clergy are either pretending to be virtuous or have already become corrupt.”

According to a letter from Pastor Stefano, the Prince of Wittenberg has been repeatedly begging him to become a clerical lord.

‘He said he’d give money, women, honor—hell, he’ll give everything!’

But Pastor Stefano refused, saying he was just a humble servant of Deus and had no use for such things, and he didn’t want to become corrupt.

He sent me a letter lamenting how wonderful it would be if there were only noblemen like me.

Reading that letter, for the first time in my life, I felt deeply guilty.

But if other clergy had said the same thing, I wouldn’t have felt any guilt. I would have ordered them to investigate that person.

After finding their flaws, I would have kindly stripped them of their garments.

“One true and devout clergyman...”

“On the other hand, what I’m saying is that 99.9% of the clergy I’ve seen have lost their original integrity. You can use the media to appeal to the people.”

“...You’re suggesting we break down each clergyman’s justification for remaining in their position.”

“Yes, because the authority of clergy is like a lump of lead plated in gold.”

There are many corrupt clergy in this world.

Whether they are pastors, priests, or monks, once they choose that path, they should give up everything for the deity they believe in and serve.

But some of these Christian pastors, to be precise, some of these rotten people, their actions are ridiculous.

These so-called pastors wear expensive suits worth tens of thousands of dollars, drive foreign cars, live in very nice apartments with their families, and receive tens of thousands of dollars every month for their children’s university tuition, study abroad fees, and retirement funds.

And yet, they claim to have served God their entire lives. When I see people like this...

‘Would it be legal to just knock some sense into their heads?’

People # Nоvеlight # in this world are smart enough to call these clergy “pastors” and “heretics,” but those playing the faith game in Christianity don’t understand the essence. They only see the gold-plated exterior and hurriedly defend the pastors.

Jesus told his disciples to carry only a staff and their clothes, and the founders of other religions said similar things.

‘Even here, I’ll make those people pretend to live sincerely, at least.’

“Anyway, Your Majesty, I don’t think there are any bishops or abbots who aren’t corrupt. Whether it’s women, money, or power, if you dig into their pasts, there’s bound to be something.”

“So, even if they’re all corrupt, you’re suggesting we promote those who follow my policies, and expose the corruption of the others through the press?”

“Yes, exactly. At first, the church will incite the people, claiming that the emperor is oppressing us, but once we reveal the corruption of the clergy... Their opinion will turn in your favor.”

There’s no one in this world who likes corrupt clergy.

Especially the poor who rely on religion because life is tough.

“If we do this, it won’t be difficult for you to exercise the right to appoint and dismiss clergy. However, there’s a possibility that the papacy will protest. What do you think about that?”

“What authority does the papacy even have now? Those guys are barely surviving on the donations sent from all over. No one will listen to them if they protest.”

Even if the Kingdom of Lyon’s economy has collapsed, the king and nobles have become one body and are moving forward like this.

‘If we lose this war against the Holy Empire, we’re done for...’

So we’ve been spreading false information that we are winning the war against the Holy Empire, and the papacy, which was the foundation of church power, has long since fallen apart.

Other countries are too busy with their own wars to bother with us.

Where is there a pious monarch who will protest in response to the papacy?

“If the clergy unite to protest against you, things might get a little troublesome.”

“Your Majesty, don’t you want to conquer the Holy Empire and become the sole emperor of the continent?”

At my sudden question, the emperor looked flustered.

“That’s true, but that doesn’t seem like an appropriate response to your concerns.”

“To do that, we need to unite them. To put it simply, we need to make them speak with one voice in support of your war.”

While it might seem contradictory to say that the clergy are less influential, we must still acknowledge their importance in this matter.

To conquer a country the size of the Holy Empire, we must engage in a total war.

Religion, politics, media, and public opinion must all work together to ensure our victory.

‘Religion may be influenced by politics, but it hasn’t lost all its power yet.’

“Leave it to me. I’ll make them kneel before Your Majesty voluntarily.”

Then, I subtly hinted to the emperor how he could use money and public opinion.

He seemed quite pleased with it.