Is Jesus Christ hadn't existed how would the world be different?

Question

(I'm asumming that he was of course an person as there is enough evidence that he existed historically..)

Answer 1

To answer this question from a purely historical perspective (leaving the theological stuff out of it) we have to look at what major events and intellectual ideas were impacted or shaped by Christian thought and deed.

The first major event (leaving aside the life and teachings of Jesus and the activities of his followers) in Christian history is the adoption of Christianity as the state religion by the Roman emperor, Constantine. That single event probably dictated more than any other (again, leaving aside theological considerations) the future success of Christianity. If Constantine had not adopted Christianity, which is to say, if Jesus had not existed, the Roman state probably would have remained a polytheistic one.

Julian the Apostate rejected Christianity as Rome’s state religion in the late 4th century and for a time the Empire adopted Neoplatonism. Julian was succeeded by emperors who were themselves Christians so Christianity was reinstituted as the state religion. Perhaps, in the absence of Christianity, Neoplatonism would have become the state religion of the Roman Empire.

Also, without Christianity the revival of learning after the barbarian invasions caused the destabilization and collapse of the Roman Empire would have taken a bit longer. Most of the educated people in the fifth century and after were clergy. The missionary monks and clerics who went into Ireland, England, France and elsewhere during that time also brought reading and writing with them and re-established learning in the areas in which they were successful. By the time of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) four centuries after the fall of Rome, we can speak of a cultural renaissance of sorts that began with the conversion to Christianity of Clovis, King of the Salian Franks, in the 5th century.

It is possible that the same urge to preach Christianity among the pagans of Europe would have fuelled a similar movement drawing on some sort of Neoplatonic or other Greco-Roman philosophical school of thought to bring learning to England, Ireland, etc. Still, probably that would not have resulted in a unifying social rule to bind the societies of Europe together as Christianity did, so fragmentation would likely have remained the norm.

Perhaps, without that overarching Christian cultural framework, Europe would have turned into something like what we see so often in Africa today: tribal warlords constantly squabbling over territory. With no unifying force like Christianity to hold the various societies together, the West would have likely stayed that way until the Moslems started invading Europe (assuming Islam developed along the lines it did historically). The Moslems were held in check by Charles le Magne in the 8th century and by the crusading movement starting in the late 11th century.

Even had post-Roman Europe managed to stem Moslem invasions the imperialistic ambitions of Spain, France and England might not have developed; indeed perhaps those countries would not have developed at all. In that case, possibly the New World would have been conquered by Islam rather than by Christian Europeans. Or maybe that would not have happened at all and today we would see an America under the rule of an Aztec Empire in the north and an Incan Empire in the south.

I guess I'm answering the question "how would history have been different?" but I think it's evident from this that Europe and America would have ended up being quite different.

Answer 2

If Jesus Christ hadn't existed, then I would be more fearful for my life and uncertain of my place in the world. The world would be full of capricious and malicious spirits intent on tormenting me mercilessly. I would have to assuage my conscious with blood sacrifices, or punitive fasting sessions alone wailing to the skies in wonder of what I could do to make the animal me less an animal in the company of my companions. If Jesus hadn't existed, then all those inwardly nice people I know as Christians would still be the angry, or conniving, or dangerous people they were before they became Christians. If Christ hadn't existed, the world would be a darker, and more dangerous place. People maliciously call Christians fakes, hypocrits, but I know too many who truly are what they are--if Jesus Christ hadn't existed, all of those people would indeed be acting whenever they started to do something kind or nice, because the true motivation for doing good would not exist in their hearts. Followers of Jesus have been slandered for centuries, and while they have moments of colossal faults and failures, the earth would possess much less of that which is good, industrious, and beautiful if the Creator had not sent His Son to give us a glimpse of life as more than just me taking up space for a few years, which is all it was before I met Jesus.

Answer 3

Depends on how you view this from a religious perspective or historical.
I think historically, things would be the same. The role of Christ has been debated for centuries. Most variations of Christ's role have been swept under the carpet and recently brought to light with such conspiracy theories as the DaVinci Code. The role of Christ that most people accept today was decided by councils filled with aristocrats during the reign of the Holy Roman Empire. You may want to look into the Council of Nicea, where the traditional acceptance of Christ's divinity was decided. Many people will state that things such as forgiveness and treatment of people would be very different or lacking without Christ. But once again historically these theories were already part of society and many historians credit other influences for teachings in the Bible; such as Hammurabi's Code--eye for an eye=do onto others...

From a religious stand point, the world would be very different. Without Christ would we have any concept of redemption and therefore any means of rehabilitation in current society. We would not allow for mistakes or give wrong doers the chance to prove themselves once again. Religiously speaking without Christ I think that we would live in a very cruel world with no toleration and vast amounts of judgment. This would be a world that would set people up to fail.

Answer 4

Your question is really intriguing. I think that one has to assume that a man actually existed who is the basis of Christianity, since such a dominant religion has evolved as a result of the life of that person. Your question must be answered either from the point of view of a theist/believer or of an agnostic/atheist. A Christian would contend that there was no possibility of Jesus's not having existed as he is the Son of God, etc... The nontheist, though, would present a more interesting theory when confronted with the concept of the nonexistence of Christ. Such a world is almost incomprehensible because those of us who were born and raised in the U. S. or Europe have had almost every aspect of our lives influenced by Christianity. As an agnostic myself, I am a bit reluctant to concede that the world as we know would never have happened had it not been for Christianity's missionary zeal and global acceptance. However, there are horrors attributable to Christianity's narrow views and prejudices, such as the Inquisition and the Holocaust which would not have transpired. You would assume that without the Christian religion, Judaism might have flourished, but I wonder; Judaism is both a religion and a nationality, thus lacks the charismatic appeal which Christianity has. Maybe polytheism would have continued to be widely accepted, but that seems doubtful, too, because, as populations mature and to traverse the world, the concept of many gods in competition with each other begins to become cumbersome. It seems to me that Europe and particularly the Roman Empire were ripe for the birth of a new monotheistic religion at the time and that Christianity simply filled an available vacuum...

Answer 5

It would be the same as it was before Christ came in to being .the ancient world .Full of Man made Ideas .And people saying they are in touch with what ever God they say only they can talk to cause they are the chosen one.So they would still be sanctimonious has ever no matter what Religion .I think today you would have a Woman God cause we always think or portray God to be a man EG This is were Mrs Jones Ascended into Heaven .She had just been to Tesco .when the Lord took her in the car park .And this is the very spot it happened .It is said Mrs Jones transfigured on Thorpe Cloud Last week .We are now Jones Worshippers.Still we get 5 days holiday for Jones day Shalom

Answer 6

A very large and open question we can only surmise . But i think not the world is sometimes called the Devils play ground , really it is people who bring all the evil into the world . Just look around you and read newspapers .
Also how about the people that have never heard of Christ their world is also infected by human evil.
And we must ask ourselves was Christ a political figure that has been absorbed into a religious framework for the longevity of his political belief ,. the dispute certainly effects the world and human freedoms today -Middle east , Africa, the churches schizophrenic attitude to gay priests.

Answer 7

The first major event (leaving aside the life and teachings of Jesus and the activities of his followers) in Christian history is the adoption of Christianity as the state religion by the Roman emperor, Constantine. That single event probably dictated more than any other (again, leaving aside theological considerations) the future success of Christianity. If Constantine had not adopted Christianity, which is to say, if Jesus had not existed, the Roman state probably would have remained a polytheistic one.

Answer 8

Since Jesus Christ allegedly existed there have been more people killed over religious beliefs than anything else in the world. I would like to think that the world would be a better safer place. If something good happens we have been told (Jesus God is Responsible). If something bad happens we have been told (Jesus God is not Responsible) Jesus God is good, Jesus God is this, Jesus God is that. Well
Jesus God is a belief nothing more. I am not against one believing in Jesus God. This is what apparently keeps some people alive & well. AND RICH. Each to his own belief. The fact is Jesus God is held too much Responsible for anything that goes on in this world and it is man that has made these things happen. Not Jesus God .The bible itself was not wrote until Jesus was long supposed dead. As the comedian Dave Allen (real name David Tynan O'Mahoney) used to finish his shows with thank you " may your God go with you" I shall to. May your God go with you.

Answer 9

I happen to think both will go to heaven(this is not to say no one else will), but I'm not sure if either of the religions are the entire truth. Just as you believe things in the bible are false and that Christ was not the Son of God, Christians don't believe the quran was given to Muhammed by God. Who is to say which, if either, of these books is the true word of God. Christians believe the bible to be the truth just as Muslims believe the quran to be the truth. I have recently began to read the quran and find there are a lot of similarities in both religions, but for either christian or Muslim to say their holy book is the correct and true one and the other is false is arrogant. No one really knows which religion is true all we can do is believe in our faiths, but in reality no one really knows.

Answer 10

Christianity stifled learning and science, caused millions to die and suffer in religious wars etc. In all, religion has had a devastating effect on humanity, and still is (Islam v Christianity;
Protestants v Catholics, etc.
The tragedy is that many people still believe this drivel. Particularly (surprisingly) in the most advanced country, the United states.
There is actually very little historical evidence to show that someone called Jesus ever existed at all.