Did the plumbing of Rome contribute to the rise of Christianity?

Question

Rome was plumbed with lead pipes (thus the word plumb). After six generations or more of lead-poisoned water, Rome is forced into Christianity. Is there a connection?

Answer 1

It had a lot more to do with one stupid dream that the emperor had.

Answer 2

Interesting theory. But it was much more demonic than anything else.

When Constatine made Christianity the religion of Rome, about 300 AD, it drastically changed what Christianity was supposed to be for that region. Unfortunately he also brought in many pagan beliefs and practices and doctrines that were not taught by Christ, begining with his vision to conquer in the sign of the cross. This certainly wasn't what Jesus had taught. From this point on Rome hit the skids and came into a decline and the whole of western civilization plunged into the dark ages.

I don't believe that it was God's intention for Chrisianity to be an organized religion. The more it becomes one the more those stray from the original Gospel message. The devil learned that he couldn't beat out Christianity through persicution, it grew at an even faster rate, so he changed tactics to pollute it instead, and was pretty successful.

It is the simple bare Bible teaching churches, teaching the whole Bible and not picking and choosing verses to fit their doctrines that might fill pews, which are the ones that reach out to all without bias (not accepting the lifestyle of all; there is a difference) and see the greatest growth. They are also the ones targeted for slander and ridicule the most.

As Rome forced its' empire to Christianity, the Gospel was only a shadow to the power of Rome being spread. I truely believe that the demise of Rome was because of the perversion of the Gospel.

It has taken a long time and a lot of suffering to rectify, starting with the availability of the written Word of God caused by the invention of the printing press and with the courage of those like Martin Luther, and is still not yet complete today.

I believe that those are much better corelations for cause and effect than the use of lead pipe in early Rome.

Answer 3

Does the poison (fluoride) in your water affect your beliefs??? I think your history is a bit off...

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome:
"Some historians have speculated that the use of lead pipes in sewer and plumbing systems led to widespread lead poisoning which contributed to the decline in birth rate and general decay of Roman society leading up to the fall of Rome. However, lead content would have been minimized because the flow of water from aqueducts could not be shut off; it ran continuously through public and private outlets into the drains, and only a small number of taps were in use."

Rome was forced into Christianity..creating the Synagogue of satan that exists there today...Christianity wasn't, however, forced into Rome. That is why it is called the ROMAN Catholic Church and holds the exact same titles (ex pontifex maximus..high or supreme priest) and rituals as the ancient pagan romans did...complete with "holy" water, vestil virgins, unmarried "priests", adoration of a "Madonna"...almost identical in every respect...including praying to the dead and preserving corpses to be 'reverred".

Answer 4

Ha. No, I doubt it. Constantine adopted Christianity as the official Roman religion simply because it was so widespread, and he needed to enforce unity in the Roman empire, something that it desperately needed.

I believe Constantine saw the benefits of societal control in Christianity-- after all, true Christians were about non-violence.

The lead probably affected Rome's decadent side, leading to even more depravity. And I am sure that Rome still held on to some of the old pagan traditions for several generations. Nothing happens overnight in history, it is all gradual.

Answer 5

The common people in rome got their water from fountains flowing constantly and in high volume, pretty unlikely that there was a much led leaching there. The aristocracy, one the otherhand, who had indoor plumbing, may very well have suffered from lead problems.
The lowerclasses where more likely to have suffered from food cooked in lead pots.

Answer 6

Only the uper class had lead plumbing, which explains Caligula deifying his horse and having his male slave go through sex change surgery, but doesn't explain away the appeal of Christianity to the poor folk who had no plumbing.

Answer 7

no, Rome was "forced" into Christianity because constantine called upon Christ to hepl him win a battle. after he won, he convereted to christianity and constituted christianity as the main religion in Rome

if anyone wants to argue that the force of christianity is wrong, would you say that any country that institutes a main religion is wrong? are the middle eastern countries wrong for instituting islam? are we wrong in starting this country for practicing modern protestanism? read money "in God we trust"

sorry for that. i had to get that off my chest.

no, there is no relation between the two, but Christianity did becaome the main religion in Rome

Answer 8

There's an insulting question. Christianity has flourished in many other places, some of which had no plumbing at all. Do you really think this line of questioning is worthy of you?

Answer 9

Rome had a lot of slaves and the preachers were going to them and were telling them they did not have to fight they were going to haven if they believe in them. and so Rome fell

Answer 10

Well they used to kill Christians in public in Rome too, so how do you explain that? Pipes!!!

Answer 11

No the lead did nothing for christianity. but it does account for baldness.