History/Religion

So I recently changed my degree to History with a concentration in Early European Studies. I am very happy with my decision because now I will get to enjoy more classes pertaining to the areas of history that interest me the most. The Greeks, Romans, and the rise of the Catholic Church are all parts of history that I have always enjoyed. Medieval history is quite interesting because the rise of the Church is such a unique topic. The popes essentially thought they ruled the world and would attempt to remove kings from power if they were not to their liking. Everyone was so religious back then that some of the kings would do anything the pope said. That sort of power definitely does not exist today. While many are still very religious, not nearly as many let religion rule their lives. I doubt popes will ever gain that much power again, especially with the vast number of religions that exist today. I, myself, have begun to question my religion. I still believe in a higher power, but I like facts and the facts tell me that there was a lot of controversy surrounding the rise of Catholicism. They also adopted many traditions of earlier religions, making me wonder if it was all just a ploy to create a separate, dominant religion. Either way, religion itself has been around much longer than the Church, so there must be some sort of higher power. I may question my own religion, but I refuse to think there is nothing to believe in.