What are clear examples of religion (e.g., Christianity) conforming to the culture, rather than vice versa?

Question

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For example, Christian support for slavery in the south, and against slavery in the north.

Catholic support for Hitler & Mussolini and Church of England support for Churchill.

What other examples can you cite?

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Is it inevitable that a majority religion will fall into line with the cultural norms? Or can even a majority religion challenge the injuries of the culture?

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Answer 1

Christmas is on December 25th in order to coincide with the pagan holiday that occurs on the winter solstice. They decided to set that day to get the pagans on board. There's no evidence that Jesus was actually born on that specific date. There's actually a number of holidays that are similarly scheduled to coincide with pagan holidays. In that way, Christianity conformed to the pagan culture in order to garner more supporters.

Answer 2

Because Paganism is so easy. You don't really have to do anything yet you can fool yourself into believing that you are some sort of spiritual being. The Judeo/Christian based religions require real action in your life. The Ten Commandments is a good example of this. There is a belief in a God, the all powerful moral judge of man's behavior. It is not easy to truly live life by these absolute moral imperatives. It is far easier to participate in some silliness or other especially if you can hide behind it an convince others that you are somehow spiritual rather than self-centered. The focus of your life is your feelings. Paganism is a primitive belief in magic. Magic excused a lot of bad behavior back in the old days. Christianity will never fit those who are not willing to put themselves and what feels good second. It is not for everybody. Christianity is a hard row to hoe. Paganism? Pretty much just call yourself a Pagan and I guess that makes you a Pagan. Wow, that was easy! Merry Christmas! .

Answer 3

Honestly, I don't believe these are examples of a religion conforming to the culture, I believe they are examples of the members of a religious group conforming to the culture, not the Faith, or the basic doctrines itself.
For example, St Paul was clear on the position of slavery in his letter to Philemon. If Christians took the position of supporting slavery in the south, they went against the basic principles of Christianity to conform to the culture, but the teachings remained the same. JMHO.

Answer 4

Telling me that I am a christian because I have morals and i still, for some reason, say its 2007 AD.

First of all, boo hoo on the AD thing, christians use the days of the week that were named for pagan gods, and they use a compass North South East and West were the names of the trolls that are holding the sky down in norse mythology. And Morals were around long before christianity was invented. So there are a few adaptations and an FU to any christian that uses the above argument.

Answer 5

The first example that comes to mind is how the Church persecuted Copernicus and Galileo because their observations didn't fit with the Church's Biblical dicta. Presently, I don't think there are any religious folk that believe in a geocentric universe anymore. Science: 1 Religion: 0

Answer 6

I don't recall the Irish supporting Hitler in any way...

Anyway, an example of christianity conforming to culture?

- All hallows
- Christmas
- the numerous amount of saints
- matriarchal worshipping

Answer 7

I can think of some straight away for Islam. I mean, where Islam originated was in the deserts amongst war like people who go to war and hold life long grudges against those who they feel have insulted them. Their religion seems to allow those guys to carry out that which is natural to them so their religion can clearly be seen as being designed to match preexisting conditions.

Answer 8

spirituality is free-form and fluid. conversely, religion is fixed and static. it is also a large component of any culture's makeup, much as is language. it is natural for religion to become so comfy with culture so as to lose potency for keeping it hones. the form of christianity known in the US is heavily westernized and americanized. this causes it to become fused with capitalism and consumerism to a large degree because it sanctions so much of what an eastern mindset would deem as excesive. the religious right is a prime example. I will save you the book and now stop.

Answer 9

Megachurches and the prosperity doctrine.

Getting involved in politics in ANY way, at all: remember "my Kingdom is not of this world!"

If you have to wear an expensive suit to preach the teachings of Jesus, well then, you're not doing it right, and you obviously haven't been listening to Jesus in the first place.

I find it sad and frightening how many evangelical churches brag about their political influence and power and size. That's entirely against what Jesus taught and how he lived his life.

Answer 10

Christian rock music