Why did Christianity gain prominace over the other cults in the Roman Empire?

Question

And why did this extremely unappealing religion attract followers from the Romans, who the Christians are suppose to hate? Why did the offical religion, the mystery cult of Isis, the mystery cult of Mithras, etc. die out instead of this heretical branch of Judahism?

Answer 1

It appeals to lower classes, because it gives hope for a greater afterlife and distracts the poor from the inequalities of their present situations.
People are looking at it backwards. Popularity of Christianity wasn't started by Constantine. Constantine's decisions were based on Christianity's already rapidly spreading popularity.

Answer 2

Proto-Christianity wasn't an unappealing religion. It offered a more intimate personal spiritual relationship than the waning paganism of the day much like the other mystery cults. It also offered things like a social network for people during the declining period of Roman state rule.

How were the Romans supposedly the ones that the Christians hated? A great deal of Christians were Romans. They hated being persecuted by their government, they didn't hate themselves.

The reason Christianity ultimately won out is because of Constantine's conversion. Christianity was then backed by the state, and all rival religions persecuted. Even so, pagan cults, "heretical" sects, and other non-Christian religions persisted long after Christianity had gained prominence.

Arguing the truth of Christianity by pointing to it's success in gaining a following is a classic flawed argument. Once could just as easily ask why Islam swept over the Christian East in such a relatively short period of time converting the population from Christianity to Islam, or ask why Buddhism enjoyed such huge success amidst so many other Asian religions.

Answer 3

Not much to do with Constantine he just jumped on the bandwagon much later, The Romans who put Jesus to death did so because he was gaining power as a Jew, how ironic it was that years later they would accept a religion that crucified the very icon they slayed. The Romans and other Germanic people of the times were very influenced by the teachings of the apostle Paul who traveled spreading the word. Most people Romans or not were sold on something tangible a man that had actually existed this was easier for them to believe in than the sun being god or a goat being god. By the way of regional convergence the Romans of 340 A.D. were much different than the Romans of 100 B.C. so the hatred of Romans by Christians faded over a long time.

Answer 4

hi, No. Pax Romana made a great international for the criteria of those situations with admire to commerce, commerce and risk-free practices. Destroying that international could have been undesirable for business enterprise interior the eyes of many, which incorporate Christians. Christ Himself suggested render unto Caesar what's Caesar's and Paul advised the Christians to pay their taxes and obey the regulation of the states. There are a hell of a good sized style of different components from political corruption to ailment and over extension which contributed to her fall. additionally do no longer forget approximately that the Republic as such fell fifty 5 years till now Christ grew to become into even born. Cheers, Michael Kelly

Answer 5

First of all, Christianity appealed to those who were left out of other cults...slaves and the poor. With Christianity all were equal, Senator or slave, man or woman.
Christianity promised life after death in heaven. In the Roman religion, only gods went to heaven. Emperors were considered gods. Everyone else went to the underworld.
Emperor Constantine, after he converted to Christianity, ruled that Christianity was legal and that Christians would no longer be persecuted for their beliefs, in effect he legalized Christians and Christianity. Every other religion was still illegal.
Take a look at the site below..it goes into detail about the rise of the religion.

Answer 6

The Roman religion was complicated. You had to make offerings to this god and that goddess and they had to be these kind of offerings. There was a lot to remember and a lot of expense.

Christianity was fairly simple by comparison. No blood sacrifices were required because Christ WAS the sacrifice. You just had to believe in Him. The message was love thy neighbor. If your neighbor was Christian, no matter what part of the Empire they were originally from, they were brethren in Christ. If your neighbor wasn't Christian, you were supposed to love him anyway and tell him about the living God.

Very attractive. Christianity spread first among the poor and downtrodden, then jumped to the aristocrats. Slaves told their mistresses about the loving god.

Soldiers in the Legions were exposed to Christianity by new recruits from other areas of the Empire.

Judahism DID NOT spread like Christianity because it was exclusive. You had to be born a Jew. Christ came for all his people, not just those who were born to the right parents.

Answer 7

The interesting part of this question remains unanswered, and that is why Christianity succeeded where Mithraism failed. Both preached monotheism, both preached a god who was of virgin birth who was sacrificed and who rose again and promised eternal life to his followers. Mithraism became the religion of the legions. With them behind it it is odd that it did not succeed. The only answer can be that Christianity was imposed from on high by which I mean by Emperor Constantine. The Emperor's word was law.

Answer 8

Its simplicity -- monotheism simplified the belief system. It was a direct and spiritual relationship to God, rather than complicated observances to many gods.
Its egalitarianism -- It appealed to all of society because it taught that all people are equal before God, regardless of gender, social class, or nationality.

It wasn't unappealing at all. It emphasized love, forgiveness, and an afterlife. Although Jewish Christians had been under Roman rule in Judea, their religion taught them not to hate and to reach out to everyone in the world. Jesus's last instructions were, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Answer 9

You can take the time to research and compare all these different sects or you can use the statement that many of the churches use now. Christianity gained promise because of the belief that if you repent and change your life, and ask God for forgiveness you will receive it and when you die your soul will ascend to heaven. Secondly, Christianity did not require blood sacrifice. Also the idea that God sent his child (his only child) Jesus to help the people and he died for their sins leaving them pure would be appealing to people whose religion promised reincarnation and assorted tortures to those who do not follow their beliefs.

Answer 10

Setting yourself before a God of Love is not appealing to you? Is it because you have been raised in a culture that believes true loyalty to a deity involves destruction of others and death to yourself? That is a real mystery to me, I would think that instead of a god of hate God would be one of Love to those who worshipped Him. Insteading of hating people into the afterlife Christianity teaches it's followers to Love them into Heaven. Instead of blowing up people who don't believe the same as you, Christians are taught to offer them the Gospel. Instead of cutting off the heads of those who refuse to accept a belief system Christians are told to take the Word to those who would Gladly receive it.

And for the gent who remarked that the Church is full of hippocrites, that may be true, but why let a hippocrite stand BETWEEN you and God? That just places him close to God.
And while on hippocrites, funny how so many people point out the ones not doing what is considered Right by the Word of God, but refuse to admit that the Word they are making reference to is Truth. Kind of like saying that a guy adding 2 + 2 is wrong to conclude that 5 in the right answer, but refuses to admit that 4 is the right answer.
Oh, and Christianity believes that things that God says is sin on earth, is still sin in Heaven. Many religions and cults have a vision of heaven that will permit them to commit acts of perversion in their gods presents...Odd...