What's the best contribution that Christianity as a whole has made to society?

Question

Don't wig out on me. I'm not a Christian. Just curious about how objective we can be about Christianity :)

Answer 1

over the course of 2000 years?

well, most of the 10 commandments made for pretty decent moral guidelines. Not that you'd need a god to come up with them but maybe some needed him to enforce them.

Obviously it has also comforted a great number of people.

the building of schools and hospitals, and the feeding and clothing of the poor.

I must admit, I am tempted to add 'but...' qualifiers to each of these examples but you asked for best/positive things.

Answer 2

First of all let me tell you I am not against Christianity, but I strongly feel that Christianity would not have grown without militant missionaries in the middle ages who forcibly converted thousands of people in places like Africa and India.Without these militant missonaries, I feel Christianity would not have grown beyond Europe and the Americas. Of course thay have built a large number of schools and hospitals, but all these were built with the sole aim of spreading Christianity. So the best contribution Christianity has given the society is forcible converstions.

Answer 3

I think the Christian charities like "feed the children" try to do good.
They also used to go into different "callings" they ran orphanages and nuns worked for free in hospitals caring for the sick.

It does also happen to be a fact that the Christian nations became far more progressed faster than any other people (in this certain time frame of recent history) and is a fact which remains so today, The Western world is all powerful and was for a long time at the forfront of innovation and civilization as a result of their endless conquests and curiosity.
While other nations remain in their religious 'dark ages' like Islam in the Middle East, Christian nations grew out of that hundreds of years ago. Third world nations don't completely have Christianity to blame for setting them back from progress.-- as a matter of fact, those touched by Christian nations did far better than the rest of the surrounding areas which were continually plagued by famine, tribal wars and superstition which many times inflicted crimes against humanity itself: tearing out beating hearts to ensure the sun would rise....etc.

The Christian nations became the most civilized and became the most democratic nations. Wrote the best laws and the frame works for the best ethical democratic governments.
England is a Great example of a Progressed long standing Christian nation.

The proof really is in the pudding.

Answer 4

No religion as a whole has made a significant contribution to society.

The contributions are from an individual who did for themselves in the name of religion.

Answer 5

Millions of dollars given to victims of Katrina
Millions of dollars spent to combat poverty
Sends thousands of kids to college each year
Opens up hospitals and clinics in some of the poorest countries and cities
Feeds, houses, and finds jobs for the people that are homeless
Builds Homes for people that are in need
Gives woman that are victims of domestic violence a safe place to stay
Helps single mothers find another option besides abortion

Theres more but you asked for a best contribution.. so pick one of the above :)

Answer 6

The idea that regardless of human laws we make, there is a more powerful authority of God watching us, and that some day we will all have to account to Him for the way we lived. You may kill someone and never get caught, but that doesn't not mean you got away with it... the accounting just hasn't happened yet (until you die). That is the best thing i think, giving a reason for a collective conscience of how we treat each other and live our lies.

Answer 7

During the middle ages it provided the only means of keeping ancient knowledge alive and religious scholars produced some magnificent historical texts so they made a contribution that historians welcome but in practical terms they did little that benefitted humanity. The Conquistadors for example commited virtual genocide in the name of Christianity.

Answer 8

the Dark Ages?

Hospitals paid by the church, soup kitchens (btw if they find out youre not christian in a soup kitchen THEY KICK YOU OUT!) free clinics, oh and they helped the food stamp program, yaay foodstamps! BTW Today youre a bold faced liar.

Answer 9

Its not just Christianity but individual Christians who have contributed great discoveries for example...

Great scientists like Johannes KEPLER saw God's magnificance and constantly gave praise to God Almighty for his wonderful laws built into nature. He was a creationist.

So was Isaac NEWTON.......and he wrote 1 million words about his LITERAL belief in the Scripture. He was a creationist.
" I have a fundamental belief in the Word of God....I study the Bible daily". - Isaac Newton

The electromagnetic equations of James Clerk Maxwell attest to the Magnificant mathematical inginuity of the Creator.
He was a Creationist.

Louis Pasteur was a christian and was convinced his medical discoveries were a direct result of God's revealtion in His life.

Answer 10

One of the most elaborate fictional fantasy novels ever written (The Holy Bible). I didn't say it was a good read.... just elaborate. Hell it reads like a Phillip Jose Farmer book. Isaiah begat Ishmael, Ishmael begat Chuck, Chuck begat George.... etc etc.... I could never seem to get past Numbers without wanting to smack my head into the wall.