4 ms·

I think you are seeing this a little too 2d. The reason the Christian meme spread so well is more complex than that. A codified belief system written down, th

I think you are seeing this a little too 2d. The reason the Christian meme spread so well is more complex than that. A codified belief system written down, the thought of a God that loves and cares about you, a path to redemption and forgiveness for sin or mistakes, these are just some of the reasons that it has been so successful. It wasn’t always just forced on people although there was that too. It’s just a really good meme and great story when you get to the heart of it. The people meeting in secret when Christianity started and risking their life to do so weren’t forced into it at all. Like capitalism, Christianity fits a lot of human needs and desires that are hard coded in humans.

skylurk 1y ago
There definitely was a moment when Christianity was a secretive cult ostensibly fuelled by brotherly love, but certainly by the time of Constantine it had become a major political force. My impression is that Christianity took over Europe more for political reasons than the good story. There were strong incentives for pagan rulers to "convert", and force it onto the populace. I agree that the good story is key to its staying power.
- hopelite 1y ago
  Frankly, I’m not even sure of the “brotherly love” story was not always a political force or tool more than anything else. It’s a rather convenient story to manage people rather than people who idolize and get inspiration from self-respecting, powerful, forceful, vengeful gods that demand you sell what you are owed. The religion we follow is the kernel or OS upon which all else is based.
ETH_start 1y ago
[dead]
skeezyboy 1y ago
> Christianity fits a lot of human needs and desires that are hard coded in humans. Which version are you talking about because there is no one definition, Christians cant even agree amongst themselves about Christianity. Anyone is free to make up their own religion, include the bible in the lore, and call it "Christian".
hopelite 1y ago
I don’t disagree with that perspective and would even go further to say that its structure offers systemic advantages over the indigenous beliefs. That does not preclude being regretful that this meme from the Middle East along with all the other memes don’t that region have devastated the natural ecosystem of the whole world like any other invasive species wrecks natural habitats and ecosystems. I may not agree with things like Aztec practices, but it would clearly be a far more interesting world if they had been able to served against the Hispanics and were over there still doing mass human sacrifices and rolling heads down pyramid stairs and were replete with gold.

skylurk 1y ago

There definitely was a moment when Christianity was a secretive cult ostensibly fuelled by brotherly love, but certainly by the time of Constantine it had become a major political force. My impression is that Christianity took over Europe more for political reasons than the good story. There were strong incentives for pagan rulers to "convert", and force it onto the populace. I agree that the good story is key to its staying power.

hopelite 1y ago
Frankly, I’m not even sure of the “brotherly love” story was not always a political force or tool more than anything else. It’s a rather convenient story to manage people rather than people who idolize and get inspiration from self-respecting, powerful, forceful, vengeful gods that demand you sell what you are owed. The religion we follow is the kernel or OS upon which all else is based.

ETH_start 1y ago

[dead]

skeezyboy 1y ago

> Christianity fits a lot of human needs and desires that are hard coded in humans. Which version are you talking about because there is no one definition, Christians cant even agree amongst themselves about Christianity. Anyone is free to make up their own religion, include the bible in the lore, and call it "Christian".

hopelite 1y ago

I don’t disagree with that perspective and would even go further to say that its structure offers systemic advantages over the indigenous beliefs. That does not preclude being regretful that this meme from the Middle East along with all the other memes don’t that region have devastated the natural ecosystem of the whole world like any other invasive species wrecks natural habitats and ecosystems. I may not agree with things like Aztec practices, but it would clearly be a far more interesting world if they had been able to served against the Hispanics and were over there still doing mass human sacrifices and rolling heads down pyramid stairs and were replete with gold.