Changes

Writing in 1776 of the ancient Romans, Edward Gibbon said: "''The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all considered by the people as equally true; by the philosopher as equally false; and by the magistrate as equally useful.''"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=1365&chapter=50990&layout=html |title=Online Library of Liberty - The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. 1, chp ii |accessdate=2008-06-14 |work=}}</ref>

Writing in 1776 of the ancient Romans, Edward Gibbon said: "''The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all considered by the people as equally true; by the philosopher as equally false; and by the magistrate as equally useful.''"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=1365&chapter=50990&layout=html |title=Online Library of Liberty - The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. 1, chp ii |accessdate=2008-06-14 |work=}}</ref>

[[Niccolò Machiavelli]], at the beginning of the sixteenth century said: "''We Italians are irreligious and corrupt above others... because the church and her representatives have set us the worst example.''"<ref name="isbn014044534x">{{cite book |author=S. G. C. Middlemore; Burckhardt, Jacob; Murray, Peter; Burke, Peter |title=The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (Penguin Classics) |publisher=Penguin Classics |location= |year= |pages= |isbn=014044534x |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> To Machiavelli, religion was merely a tool, useful for a ruler wishing to manipulate public opinion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm |title=The Prince, by Nicolo Machiavelli |accessdate=2008-06-14 |work=}}</ref>

[[Niccolò Machiavelli]], at the beginning of the sixteenth century said: "''We Italians are irreligious and corrupt above others... because the church and her representatives have set us the worst example.''"<ref name="isbn014044534x">{{cite book |author=S. G. C. Middlemore; Burckhardt, Jacob; Murray, Peter; Burke, Peter |title=The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (Penguin Classics) |publisher=Penguin Classics |location= |year= |pages= |isbn=014044534x |oclc= |doi=}}</ref> To Machiavelli, religion was merely a tool, useful for a ruler wishing to manipulate public opinion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm |title=The Prince, by Nicolo Machiavelli |accessdate=2008-06-14 |work=}}</ref>