Okay, we all know religious teachings are false. That's hardly debatable at this point, but...?

Question

...what has made Christianity THE most prosperous and respected religion in the history of human societies? What has made it so popular, or what did make it popular when it first started out? How is it different from other religious teachings?

And don't say, "Because it's right." That's like a salesperson telling a potential customer why his product is better than the rest. You have to give a real reason.

Look, the only reason I worded my headline like that is because I didn't want anyone to start with the assumption that Christianity is true, because that gets us nowhere in my question.

Answer 1

The reason it did well at first is because it was generic.

It consolidated all the different gods of different names into one generic god that supposedly encompassed them all.

After that, the only reason it thrived is because it was forced on cultures at the point of a sword, just like Islam.

Once it had conquered all it could conquer, it became the norm in those countries, and has continued to be so ever since.

Just look at America. The majority of Christians are Christians because everyone else is, and it's what they were raised with.

Most Christians that I've met couldn't tell you the first thing about any other religions in the world. They've never studied them, and have no desire to.

Answer 2

I don't know that it's quite so clear that Christianity was the most prosperous and respected religion in the history of human societies.

First, how would you measure that? Christianity had respect only within the realm of Christendom which was pretty much confined to Western Europe and part of the Near East.

Secondly, the Far East was the most prosperous of lands for most of the history of civilization, and they were under control by Hindu, Chinese, and Muslim religions. Everybody in the West wanted to find a way to the east during the Middle Ages precisely because the East was where the riches were. It's only within the last couple of hundred years post- Industrialization that the West has become prosperous.

Christianity became hugely popular when it became the official state religion of the late Roman Empire under Emperor Constantine. Any time the state adopts an official religion, people understand that if you want to get ahead, you'd better jump onboard. The motive was greed, ambition, calculated prudence. (Which is why all the dedicated, hardcore Christians who saw all these people making superficial conversions to Christianity en mass started the whole monastic desert movement at that time.)

After Christianity became a well established religion, generations of people simply continued to accept what they were told in the same way they once accepted pagan religions or in the same way people born in Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. countries accept the religion they are born into.

Answer 3

~~~ Uliju ,,, Most Respectfully,,,,It is simply because of two factors. Europeans used their technology to explore the world and make claims of territories(land and people). The Chinese, though further advanced in technology, especially in Boatbuilding and Navigation, opted to become Isolationists and subsequently destroyed their Open Ocean Ships and reinforced their borders. Thereby leaving the world to the Europeans for Conquest. Bottom Line : Just as History is always written by The Victors, so to do The Conquered adopt the ways of Their Masters. Correction: Christianity is NOT "the most respected religion in history" as you so claim. It also is NOT so "different from other religious teachings". By making such statements you display an extent of ignorance on the subject. Christianity is an amalgam of Ancient Egyptian(Osiris & Isis), Zoroastrianism, Mithraism & Hellenism which all predate christianity. Your simple study of Comparitive Mythology/Religion will bear this out. ~ Namaste`

Answer 4

How do you determine "most prosperous and respected" religion, and how would you separate that from it being tied to western culture? Considering that only 1/3 of the world is "Christian", the claim that it is the most popular is not a strong one, especially considering that many of the cultures that are "Christian" are so because they were conquered and the religion forced on the people. This is a more likely cause for its apparent success than any other.

Answer 5

There are a number of things that support the popularity of Christianity.
1. The Romans were very effective in assimilating cultures and included religious inclusion as part of their conquering techniques.

2. After Rome fell, Christianity had been literalized from Gnosticism to a belief in a Historic Christ by the men who canonized the bible. This 'humanization' of a diety was very popular, because it helped men relate to their God.

3. The idea that mankind was created by God with a specific purpose helps spread Christianity, because it attaches the belief system to man's sense of value and purpose in life.

4. The rejection of the OT law, enables Christians to call the religion a loving religion, that is far more attractive to civilized man.

5. The metaphoric nature of Christian belief allows for thousands of denominations, who all believe in completely different things relating from baptism to salvation, but all still call themselves Christian.

Answer 6

A coupe of things:

Biggest carrot, biggest stick. For those that think Pascal's Wager is a good bet, you go for the religion with the best heaven and the worst hell.


Association with Western Europe. Jared Diamond's book Guns Germs and Steel gives an excellent explanation of why European culture developed faster than the rest of the world. Having developed faster it then went out to conquer much of the rest of the world dragging it's religion with it.

Answer 7

alongside Christianity is westernization, it actually collapsed during the dark ages - hence them being dark, note however how much of the information we use and the art that we admire comes from this period.

as for why it has been so popular try;
brute force and social manipulation

In 1648 the Peace of Westphalia treaty was signed by some major European country's - basically it stated that each country should be free to practice it's own religion, the Roman Catholics choose a delegate rather than the Vatican to sign.

As for how it differs id be interested to find out.

Answer 8

As, at least in the Judeo Christian sense, I am I suppose best described as an atheist or agnostic. Whether the man existed orr didn't exist--whether there is a God or no God-isn't that lifestyle something to emulate. To throw away the beatitudes with creationsim smacks a little of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Wouldn't we be better off all trying to make this planet a little better place when we leave it than when we got here, wouldn't we all be better off making sure our neighbor had enough to eat? Wouldn't we be better off to be kind, decent, generous people-and leave what happens at the end of our lives to a God if there is one? Isn't the end of my life and whether I'm right or wrong between me and a Creator if there is one. Why don't y'all try and follow a lifestyle instead of trying to make everyone into plastic dashboard ornaments.

Answer 9

Holy Spirit is a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Let's say you write the worlds next greatest novel... only, many people dislike you and don't want you to succeed so they erase your name from the book and spread lies about you and about the authorship of the book. Wouldn't you go to great lengths to right the wrong?
Jehovah God is the creator of life and all things good. Satan us the one slandering His name which is one reason why many Christians can't even agree on a lot of fundamental teachings.
There was only one truth initially, but it was bastardized and mutilated. It's still out there it just takes a humble heart and more sifting to find. But "Christianity" (as a blanket term only) is so predominent because there was only one belief in the begining of Christ.

Answer 10

YOU THINK religious teachings are false, because you have not experienced the Power of the Spirit flowing through you.

Christianity - has grown prosperous because the mind can achieve anything it sets itself to and the 'church' set its mind to owning land and generating income in a huge political power struggle that continues to this day.

Whoever wins this battle hopes to win your mind and heart as well.

What made Christianity spread like wildfire was, well, just that - the FIRE of GOD burning within the hearts of those who were participating in the process of re-generation.

This FIRE is referred to throughout scripture as 'the burning bush' as the 'sun standing in the sky' and also by two disciples who meet Jesus on the road after the Ressurrection. "Did not our hearts burn..."

'Christianity' differs from other 'religious' schools of thought because Jesus is alive and imparting Life, Love and Wisdom to everyone who opens their minds and hearts to recieve the Divine Spirit.

'Christianity' is the same as other religious schools of thought in that they all emanate from the same source.

It is the adherents to literalism that create the 'divisions' because their own selfish ego has hypnotised them into thinking that their opinion is more important than Loving their neighbour - which is the acid test of a Christian.

As a result, they feel the need to protect their religion, rather than submitting themselves to its teachings and allowing it to enlighten them