How much of the latter is correlation without causation? Would edison and tesla have been prevented by the catholic church from working on electricity? Or Ford

How much of the latter is correlation without causation? Would edison and tesla have been prevented by the catholic church from working on electricity? Or Ford on cars? I mean in their time still, you didn't have a theocratic state but society was much more religious. In the 1800s, congress used to have church service at capitol hill and all members would attend for example.