Why has Christianity lasted so long?

[jmharris23]

I've enjoyed the conversation lately.

I thought I'd get your opinion on something else.

In other threads there has been several mentions of other dying and rising again myths.

If Christianity and its story are just a myth like the others....Why do you think Christianity gained so many followers and lasted so long compared to the other "saviors"?

 

[660griz]

Relatively new.
Christianity was more adaptable.
The Crusades and Inquisition insured a good following.
Plus, the luck of where it started. It could spread. Start on a small island in the Pacific, not so much.

 

[bullethead]

1,987 years is not long for a religion.
Judaism has it beat by 2000 years.
Ancestoral worship 100,000 years.
Animism has been practiced for over 300,000 years.

 

[jmharris23]

1,987 years is not long for a religion.
Judaism has it beat by 2000 years.
Ancestoral worship 100,000 years.
Animism has been practiced for over 300,000 years.

I understand that. I was only making comparisons to other resurrection myths

 

[WaltL1]

Lots of ingredients to that recipe!
As Griz mentioned - adaptability. Its still adapting to and adopting social changes before your/our eyes.
Heck it even adapted to and adopted Pagan practices from the very beginning to bring them into the fold.
Money
Power
Fear
Marketing
Timing
Population density
Advances in communication
Willingness to break its own "rules" in order to adapt.....

 

[bullethead]

I've enjoyed the conversation lately.

I thought I'd get your opinion on something else.

In other threads there has been several mentions of other dying and rising again myths.

If Christianity and its story are just a myth like the others....Why do you think Christianity gained so many followers and lasted so long compared to the other "saviors"?

Wouldn't it stand to reason that as cultures who have worshipped a certain way were forced to change their practices and beliefs as other cultures invaded and overtook them?
And as things have stabilized (well more than a thousand or so years ago) religions have had a chance to maintain their believers. But we all know that quite a few religious believers would LOVE to make theirs be #1 wordlwide, by whatever means necessary.

But think of this, what percentage of Christians made up the population of the USA prior to 1400bc? And then in 1600bc? 1800bc? 2000bc?.

 

[bullethead]

I understand that. I was only making comparisons to other resurrection myths

It is not just the story that gains believers. There are many factors that contribute to who, how and why people worship as they do.
In the case of previous Resurrected Savior religions the majority of those cultures were invaded and overtaken by another culture that worshipped differently.

I would wonder more about why EVERYONE did not know about God/Jesus from day one that the species could comprehend rather than tens of thousands of years later.
When thought of in that light, it speaks volumes for how traits of past religions were incorporated into other cultures and how the religions morphed into something new yet similar.

 

[centerpin fan]

I think Constantine's conversion made a huge impact. When you have the backing of the greatest empire of the ancient world, that's definitely gonna help. Also, for whatever reason, the other "saviors" do not seem to have the same effect on people as Jesus does. Both Judaism and Islam acknowledge (but do not deify) Him. Even people who are not fond of Christianity generally admire Jesus.

 

[jmharris23]

Christians were overtaken at one time and dispersed into different parts of the world but they took their story with them rather than it being snuffed out.

By the way, I'm not trying to make a point or "prove" anything with this. Just having dialogue

 

[bullethead]

I think Constantine's conversion made a huge impact. When you have the backing of the greatest empire of the ancient world, that's definitely gonna help. Also, for whatever reason, the other "saviors" do not seem to have the same effect on people as Jesus does. Both Judaism and Islam acknowledge (but do not deify) Him. Even people who are not fond of Christianity generally admire Jesus.

Like they do with Ghandi and many other figures of religion, history and fiction.

 

[WaltL1]

Christians were overtaken at one time and dispersed into different parts of the world but they took their story with them rather than it being snuffed out.

By the way, I'm not trying to make a point or "prove" anything with this. Just having dialogue

Christians were overtaken at one time and dispersed into different parts of the world but they took their story with them rather than it being snuffed out.

Kind of like the fastest growing religion in the United States.
Now fast forward a 1000 years. History dictates that..........

 

[bullethead]

Christians were overtaken at one time and dispersed into different parts of the world but they took their story with them rather than it being snuffed out.

By the way, I'm not trying to make a point or "prove" anything with this. Just having dialogue

Is their history really any different than the followers of any religion?

 

[drippin' rock]

Lots of ingredients to that recipe!
As Griz mentioned - adaptability. Its still adapting to and adopting social changes before your/our eyes.
Heck it even adapted to and adopted Pagan practices from the very beginning to bring them into the fold.
Money
Power
Fear
Marketing
Timing
Population density
Advances in communication
Willingness to break its own "rules" in order to adapt.....

This can't be over stated. Christianity is morphing right in front of our eyes. Yes, there are churches that resist this, but it won't last. Religion has to change or it fades away. How many churches are more accepting of Homosexuality? As this lifestyle normalizes into our society, Churches that continue to be strictly biblical will be ostrized. Is that just or fair? I don't know. That's just the way I see it unfolding.

 

[drippin' rock]

It is not just the story that gains believers. There are many factors that contribute to who, how and why people worship as they do.
In the case of previous Resurrected Savior religions the majority of those cultures were invaded and overtaken by another culture that worshipped differently.

I would wonder more about why EVERYONE did not know about God/Jesus from day one that the species could comprehend rather than tens of thousands of years later.When thought of in that light, it speaks volumes for how traits of past religions were incorporated into other cultures and how the religions morphed into something new yet similar.

Yes. The contortions one has to go through when confronted with the above highlighted.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Christians were overtaken at one time and dispersed into different parts of the world but they took their story with them rather than it being snuffed out.

By the way, I'm not trying to make a point or "prove" anything with this. Just having dialogue

Continuing the dialogue, and Centerpin's line of thought, the Romans took Christianity all over the place. Then the "all over the place" people were really mobile and took it around the world.

 

[Artfuldodger]

This can't be over stated. Christianity is morphing right in front of our eyes. Yes, there are churches that resist this, but it won't last. Religion has to change or it fades away. How many churches are more accepting of Homosexuality? As this lifestyle normalizes into our society, Churches that continue to be strictly biblical will be ostrized. Is that just or fair? I don't know. That's just the way I see it unfolding.

All religions morph or change. This makes it even more popular and allows it to grow even more. How many women today would be a Christian if they had to follow the old dress codes of our great grandparents?

 

[bullethead]

Continuing the dialogue, and Centerpin's line of thought, the Romans took Christianity all over the place. Then the "all over the place" people were really mobile and took it around the world.

They sure did.
They went to far away lands, knocked on doors, sat down with the inhabitants and gave them a pamphlet to read.

 

[bullethead]

All religions morph or change. This makes it even more popular and allows it to grow even more. How many women today would be a Christian if they had to follow the old dress codes of our great grandparents?

40,000 DIFFERENT denominations within Christianity. How many are alike?

 

[WaltL1]

All religions morph or change. This makes it even more popular and allows it to grow even more. How many women today would be a Christian if they had to follow the old dress codes of our great grandparents?

Sounds like business goals.

 

[jmharris23]

This can't be over stated. Christianity is morphing right in front of our eyes. Yes, there are churches that resist this, but it won't last. Religion has to change or it fades away. How many churches are more accepting of Homosexuality? As this lifestyle normalizes into our society, Churches that continue to be strictly biblical will be ostrized. Is that just or fair? I don't know. That's just the way I see it unfolding.

This is not the first time the church has been ostracized or persecuted, yet it's still here?

I know you've been in enough SS classes to know that.