One could also think of the Vikings as pirates of a sort, if you stretch definitions a bit.
In a similar vein, aren't things like 'separation of church and state' a post medieval idea? Seeing so many people supporting more modern ideas like this is one of the exotic things that annoys me. But I could be wrong.
It's to be expected, though. They don't only do it for modern reasons, they also do it because it's a great way to control religions that the political elite would otherwise have limited control over.
