During the 13th century, Arabic nations made great advances and discoveries in the fields of mathematics and astronomy. They also embraced differing opinions at that time. Then they became theocracies as barbaric ignorance and anti-science sentiment took the lead and never have recovered. Sadly (and most currently), this very same thing appears to be happening in the United States as extreme, right-wing, white evangelicals funded by billionaires have relentlessly overrun all aspects of American society.