2007-01-19 20:06:49 · 12 answers · asked by sam 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Like today?
Or 100 years ago?
150?
200?
500?
1000?
2007-01-19 20:11:38 · answer #1 · answered by Harry Merkin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WOW. Um... yes. Sometimes Christianity was the victim, as in the early days when the Romans succeed the lions on some Christians or when the pagan Anglo-Saxons attacked the mostly Christian Roman Britons. Sometimes it was the aggressor, as with Charlemagne versus the pagans. Sometimes it was pretty evenly matched, like Charlemagne vs. the Moors. Then when the Protestant reformation began--WOW. The French Religious Wars between the Catholics and the Huguenots got very bloody, and a great deal of the English Civil War was based on religious differences.
2007-01-20 04:11:56 · answer #2 · answered by Vaughn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christianity certainly faced opposition in it's early days and if you're looking for an example of a military conflict which involved Christianity, the Crusades of the Middles Ages are the perfect example.
I'm no expert on the Crusades, but I believe that the main aim was to 'protect' Jerusalem and the traditional landscape of Christianity from the invading Muslim forces of the Anatolian ( in modern times, the Asian-facing part of Turkey) Seljuqs, who sought to expand their territories.
The earliest Christians were also oppressed and persecuted by the Romans, who created the main Christian symbol, the Crucifix, for use in the executions of Christians and criminals. While the Roman empire later adopted Christianity as the state religion, it initially spent a lot of time and military energy seeking to put down the Christian rebellions.
2007-01-20 06:06:42 · answer #3 · answered by deplorable_world 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends what you mean by "go through wars". The spread of christianity in Europe wasn't down to agressive "marketing" of the religion through wars, it was down to the fact that it was adopted as the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire spread through fighting and wars, and Christianity was introduced to the countries that were annexed to the Roman Empire, however Christianity was not the motivating force behind the expansion of the Roman Empire. If you like it evolved parasitically on the success of the Roman Empire. Likewise the spread of Christianity to South America was not motivated by the desire to evangelise and spread the Christian religion, it was a by-product of Spain's desire to discover new lands and gold.
The wars of religion during the reformation era (approx 16C) were not to do with the *spread* of Christianity, they were to do with differences between the existing Christian group.
So I would say yes the christian religion was involved in wars but the desire to spread christianity was never the cause of any wars. Even the crusades were not motivated by a desire to evangelise the Ottoman empire, but to regain Jersalem. Christianity was spread by state policies rather than agressive evangelising wars.
2007-01-20 06:49:06 · answer #4 · answered by Alex 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
oh yes! when Christianity was spread to America and to the Mexicans they rebelled and fought it until forced into missions, in Prague the Protestants were at war with the Christians and they constantly were trying to out do each other, a lot of war still goes on today.
2007-01-20 04:18:41 · answer #5 · answered by yes me again 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christianity was spread in the early days primarily through warfare. The Roman Empire was christian in their later centuries, and they spread christianity to every territory they conquered.
2007-01-20 04:17:09 · answer #6 · answered by greendragonmaw 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just a few! (Well, actually, more than a few)
Particular examples:
the Protestants versus the Catholics in France (1562 to 1598, intermittently)
The Crusades, of course, but especially the 4th which, intended to retake Jerusalem through Egypt, instead attacked the Orthodox Christian capital of Constantinople (Possibly the most blatant "friendly fire" incident in history?)
Spain and Portugal expanding into South America...
No, no shortage of examples.
2007-01-20 04:57:35 · answer #7 · answered by Pedestal 42 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Most definately, most wars in history were fought over religion and chrisianity has the bloodiest history.
2007-01-20 04:37:49 · answer #8 · answered by kizzarina 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
not in the very begining but yes.
2007-01-20 04:12:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
These web pages should give you some interesting facts :
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/204297.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_2_122/ai_n9505741
and
http://www.crisismagazine.com/april2002/cover.htm
2007-01-20 04:19:21 · answer #10 · answered by Nanda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋