It wasn't until something like 330AD when Christianity became popular because of Constantine. If all thes4e miracles occurred in front of witnesses, then why weren't their more original believers? And why wouldn't these people have spread the Word more?
It seems like the Jesus stories were embellished after his death. Otherwise you would have a very quick incline in the number of his followers following his life and death. This however did not occur.
2006-09-01 07:22:48 · 32 answers · asked by bc_munkee 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
So, 3000 converts within 6 weeks of his death is not considered a quick incline? (Acts 2:41)
A little while later "...a vast number of both men and women, were being added..." isn't a very quick incline? (Acts 5:14)
You forget that people were being persecuted for believing in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. Unless you were willing to really suffer for it, you didn't become a believer.
It was only when Constantine became a believer that people felt "safe" to become Christian, and even then, many became such to win favor with the Emperor.
In fact, during the intervening years between Jesus' ascension and Constantine's conversion, there were thousands killed for tha name of Christ. Tertullian, an early church father, wrote to Pliny the Elder, saying, "In the blood of the martyrs lies the seed of the Church." (Apologetics I)
2006-09-01 07:35:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This it the problem with history. A person reads one book and they are suddenly an expert. Think for a minute why Constantine would make the official religion of the empire Christianity instead of the traditional worshiping of himself? As an emperor he most likely preferred to be worshiped over someone else being worshiped. However he saw that Christianity was spreading crazy fast. The more he persecuted the Christians the more they seemed to grow. So in order to protect his power and not have Rome descend into anarchy he changed the official religion to Christianity. (Kind of an if you can't beat them, join them approach).
Christianity spread more rapidly (and peacefully) than any other religion in the world. The only way such a rapid growth is possible that early on is if the people who actually knew Jesus and where there when He died unanimously proclaimed it to be true.
Originally the vast majority of Christians converted from Judaism in the years immediately following Jesus's death and Resurrection. Think about that for a second. Do you really think the disciples would be able to just fool these people into believing that the guy who they saw die was actually alive. They had to have seen him! There is no other possible way for Christianity to have spread from Jerusalem and beyond without it being true.
2006-09-01 07:32:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Actually, it illustrates the fact that even if there are miracles happening, ppl still won't believe. You're right, a few years after Jesus rose again, there weren't a lot of Christians, especially since they were being persecuted, which makes the fact that they grew in number even more amazing. They did try to spread Christianity, though it wasn't called that then. But the disciples were being hindered by the Jewish authorities, and they tried to stop them any way they could. Also, Jews may have felt guilty, knowing that the person that died was the Messiah. I'm not trying to blame the Jews in this, as I'm as much a sinner as anyone, and so I caused His death, too. To be honest, I'm sure there's a better answer than mine, but I don't know it, so I've done my best.
2006-09-01 07:28:41 · answer #3 · answered by STEPHEN J 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Christianity did boom when Constantine made it the official religion of the Roman Empire, but keep in mind that the same Empire persecuted believers up to that point...Christianity had plenty of followers before that point, but it was always a religion of an oppressed people. Historians write about Emperors and Empires not Slaves and the Oppressed. God knew what he was doing...He still does!
Indy T should get his facts straight... the term Catholic may not have appeared until 107AD but the history of the Christian Church is traced back through the Catholic Church to Peter and the Disciples after Jesus' death. The term catholic comes from the Greek language and refers to the whole group... so originally when you heard the term catholic church the word catholic was an adj. referring to the whole Christian faith.
2006-09-01 07:35:02 · answer #4 · answered by In the light 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christianity was very popular when it started. Consider the two times Christ fed the loaves of bread and fish to thousands (one time was 4000 and the other was 5000). And then there were over 500 people that saw Jesus after He came back from death. Christianity was very popular but they were being persecuted by the Romans and so they had to hide under ground, so-to-speak. The time that you are talking about is when Christians could come out and proclaim their faith without their head being chopped off. That's why it bloomed around that time. They didn't have to worry about persecution.
2006-09-01 07:26:29 · answer #5 · answered by Meg 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
even the trinity was formed on 325 A.D..... some christian will tell you that truth is an evolved understanding... and Jesus taught to disciples this secret and eventually after 300 years,, people came to know this deep thought............
its an interesting idea.. but rejeted by the bible itself,, in john 18:20, where Jesus clearly said that he taugh nothing in secret
john 18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
"Christ the son of Mary was no more than an Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!" QURAN (5:75)
2006-09-01 07:36:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It took several hundred years for Christianity to become an official religion, endorsed by a King and all. Untill then, the authorities were too busy trying to kill the "troublemakers" that were spreading the word about "crazy" miracles, and many, possibly all who were present, did die for it! If there were no incline in numbers, there shouldn't be anything for the authorities to worry about! But they did! Untill the decided "if you can't beat them, join them" and thus started the organized religion, power mixed with religion, and what would became, in my opinion, the shame of Christ.
2006-09-01 07:31:25 · answer #7 · answered by dahfna 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Rome had this nasty habit of feeding Christians to the lions. It was an underground movement until Constantine.
Also, the WHOLE POINT of orignal (true) Christianity was that
"the world is wrong".
Not what mass movements are made of. It took several generations before the original teachings got watered down enough and systematized to be acceptable to the masses.
Remember, "belief" was not the original *thing*. It was "seeing" Truth directly. For yourself, direct from the source of all knowing, which is within you. We now call it conscience or intuition.
2006-09-01 07:34:40 · answer #8 · answered by who WAS #1? 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because it takes time for people in power to belive something new, or to get people who belive, into power. The Main Reason christianity became popular. It promised that no matter if you were rich or poor, you to could get into heaven. If you have a crappy life, your life will be better after you die. A good way to keep the poor and downtrodden happy. A good way for leaders to have a system in place that made a lot of promises, that they persoanlly didnot have to keep. What better way to control a large population of poor, then a carrot on a stick, that you never had to hand the carrot over? Once enough people in power found how simple this control system was, the Churches were born.
2006-09-01 07:30:36 · answer #9 · answered by Arcturus R 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
numbers do not make something true
something is true based on the merit
the gospels are clearly written early as the new testament does not mention the death of Peter or Paul or the fall of Jerusalem
Similarly all but about 11 verses in the New testament are quated by early church leaders before the end of the second century
2006-09-01 07:26:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋