priestcraft quotes

In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin, Before polygamy was made a sin.

-John Dryden
Absalom and  Achitophel, pt.1, l.1^2.

When we say 'science' we can either mean any manipulation of the inventive and organizing power of the human intellect: or we can mean such an extremely different thing as the religion of science, the vulgarized derivativefromthispureactivitymanipulated bya sortof priestcraft into a great religious and political weapon.

-Jose Lezama Lima
  The Art of Being Ruled.