A theory of why Christianity has lasted so long...

...in it's biblical form, I have.

It used to be that only those who were properly trained theologians could
make a claim this or that way about the more questionable matters of
the bible. If you were not an educated, and moreover accepted
theologian, anything you could say that would put the Word of God in a
bad light would be considered a blasphemy and you would have to be
punished one way or the other. Well, this isn't exactly news, is it? And
I'm afraid that, as usual, I'm merely pointing out the obvious. But, still,
here it is.

The reason Christianity could have lasted for two thousand years based
on the idea that God created the earth, universe and all in seven days,
that he is a loving and forgiving God even though he has committed
most heinous acts by his own standards, that an eye for an eye but love
your enemy attitude is non-conflictive in nature, is precisely that.

?

That you as a mere non-educated biblist couldn't possibly comprehend
the logic behind Gods thinking and therefore it is not your place to
question his word as spoken through all those special people who wrote
the different parts of the bible. Inspired by God. Who is just. And makes
sense. At least to himself.

But the real mystery should be, why do people still persist to this day
with the validity of the bible? Some need no explanation as they've
completely freed themselves of all forms of critical and intelligible
thinking, but others are more of an enigma (at least to me).

I've come to the conclusion (and I'm sure this has a high bearing on this
community - self sarcasm that was) that perhaps the idea of a Christian
(or otherwise) God is not as dumb as I've always thought. Parts of the
bible still makes sense, I'd have to agree. And I do think that
Christianity has survived simply because of those parts (love thy
neighbour, be wise and drink your milk and all that).

So, to conclude this thing I've written to kill off time, you could say that
even though all those things that makes sense could just as easily have
been derived at from an atheistic point of view, I have to wonder if there
isn't a God thingie in the background after all. But the static interference
between him and his subjects of communication may just make it too
hard to understand him properly (thus the inconsistencies). I'm sure he'll
work it out eventually and then we'll have a bible that's completely
without logical or otherwise flaws.

I think. 😕

Addition: Oh, right! My theory! Uhm, I think it has survived for so
long, despite all those questionable sections of the "good book" because
people, deep down inside, wants to believe (on a conscious or
unconscious level).

Whether God exists or not, as long as he speak of love and forgiveness
and how we can all receive his love if we only open our hearts, people
wants to believe in him. And in wanting to do so, we can explain away the
parts of the bible that isn't too friendly (to our own kind at the very
least).

Originally posted by stocken
...in it's biblical form, I have.

It used to be that only those who were properly trained theologians could
make a claim this or that way about the more questionable matters of
the bible. If you were not an educated, and moreover accepted
theologian, anything you could say that would put the Word of God in a
bad light would be considered a blasphe ...[text shortened]... s of the bible that isn't too friendly (to our own kind at the very
least).

Not bad.

It last because it is truth. It is sustained because the truth is insulated by the interpretations or greedy and superstitious men. Christ is real, Christianity is not.

also because it was part of the roman empire. usually when world powers changed religions kinda withered with them. as our society is a roman culture still to this day why would christianity wither? rome has done such an amzing job corrupting it for political reasons i see no reason why it would be abolished.

Originally posted by stocken
...in it's biblical form, I have.

It used to be that only those who were properly trained theologians could
make a claim this or that way about the more questionable matters of
the bible. If you were not an educated, and moreover accepted
theologian, anything you could say that would put the Word of God in a
bad light would be considered a blasphe ...[text shortened]... s of the bible that isn't too friendly (to our own kind at the very
least).

Basically, you are saying that many people are attracted to Xianity merely because there simply aren't many choices, and in their heart they know that God exists and than man is obviously sinful. Brilliant.

I would look at it this way. Say you are forced to eat at a certain crappy lunch counter. You know you need a certain about of good vitamins, but the only dish available that is anywhere close to nutritious leaves a horribly bad taste in your mouth. Do you eat it anyway, or do you order a cheeseburger and say to Hell with it?

Recipies can be changed. Get rid of the crap that tases bad, and either learn how to cook or leave the cooking to those that can. Perhaps this way we can get a decent meal that may actually be good for us?

Originally posted by spiritmangr8ness
It last because it is truth. It is sustained because the truth is insulated by the interpretations or greedy and superstitious men. Christ is real, Christianity is not.

I want to reply to this. I really do. But what would be the point? It would be like telling a rock that it is not water. It may be true, but the rock isn't going to believe me, and there is nothing I can do to force the issue.

I think a big reason that it has lasted so long is because the massive number of people that practice this religion lends to it a degree of credibility that belief in the tooth-fairy amongst adults does not (breeds the old *millions of people can't all be wrong* mindset)...this number is maintained and increased in successive generations by its early introduction to a young and impressionable kids life by his/her parents, teachers and peers...belief in the tooth-fairy, Santa Claus and such tends to be stamped out once a child grows up...belief in a god isn't.

Originally posted by thesonofsaul
I would look at it this way. Say you are forced to eat at a certain crappy lunch counter. You know you need a certain about of good vitamins, but the only dish available that is anywhere close to nutritious leaves a horribly bad taste in your mouth. Do you eat it anyway, or do you order a cheeseburger and say to Hell with it?

Most humans are too lazy or preoccupied with their own small lives to
have time for changing their religion (or dumping it all together). They
want a nicely packaged and neat deal that doesn't require too much of
them, yet promises the awards they feel they deserve.

Christianity is like that. Live your life. Try to follow ten simple rules (or
make a good excuse why you can't follow some of them - God will
forgive) and depending on your chosen branch of the religion, go to
church every now and then. That's it! Very neat package with a God that
is loving and forgiving. Your life should be good and worthwhile as long
as you preoccupy yourself with the practical issues in life: work, food,
house, family, friends and so on.

It works! The idea is so good in fact, that every product manufacturer
since that day has been trying to do the same. Create a product that will
solve abstract and hypothetical problems for you while at the same time
being "affordable" even by you.

So why have other religions lasted so long?

Originally posted by twhitehead
So why have other religions lasted so long?

Most humans are too lazy or preoccupied with their own small lives to
have time for changing their religion (or dumping it all together)?

Originally posted by Agerg
I think a big reason that it has lasted so long is because the massive number of people that practice this religion lends to it a degree of credibility that belief in the tooth-fairy amongst adults does not (breeds the old *millions of people can't all be wrong* mindset)...this number is maintained and increased in successive generations by its early introduct ...[text shortened]... y, Santa Claus and such tends to be stamped out once a child grows up...belief in a god isn't.

Numbers = Pies..... Pies from god.

God is good!

Originally posted by stocken
Most humans are too lazy or preoccupied with their own small lives to
have time for changing their religion (or dumping it all together). They
want a nicely packaged and neat deal that doesn't require too much of
them, yet promises the awards they feel they deserve.

Christianity is like that. Live your life. Try to follow ten simple rules (or
mak and hypothetical problems for you while at the same time
being "affordable" even by you.

Read Fox's Book of Christian Martyrs sometime.

You're cute and pat explanation is pretty weak to discribe the motivation of thousands who would rather suffer torture than deny that Jesus Christ was their resurrected and living Lord.

Nice convient answer for lazy types?

Are you talking about them or yourself?

Originally posted by jaywill
Read [b]Fox's Book of Christian Martyrs sometime.

You're cute and pat explanation is pretty weak to discribe the motivation of thousands who would rather suffer torture than deny that Jesus Christ was their resurrected and living Lord.

Nice convient answer for lazy types?

Are you talking about them or yourself?[/b]

For every Christian Martyr or Islamic Suicide Bomber there are 10 who would willingly change if their lives depended on it.
You can argue otherwise but you're kidding yourself.
Put yourself into the position of torture ...

Okay, I can continue to believe in the divinity of Jesus and have my balls cut off and served up to me, or I can renounce him and believe something else.
It's, as Americans would say, a no brainer.
You've got to be a fanatic to think otherwise.

Originally posted by amannion
For every Christian Martyr or Islamic Suicide Bomber there are 10 who would willingly change if their lives depended on it.
You can argue otherwise but you're kidding yourself.
Put yourself into the position of torture ...

Okay, I can continue to believe in the divinity of Jesus and have my balls cut off and served up to me, or I can renounce him and b ...[text shortened]...
It's, as Americans would say, a no brainer.
You've got to be a fanatic to think otherwise.

You're the one whose kidding the self.

Anyway, I don't look around to see what the other guy is doing. When I am convinced of the truth in Christ I follow Christ. Martyrs, no martyrs - I am persuaded of the truth in Jesus Christ.

I tried the relativistic guesswork of those living for nothing. I found that to be "vanity of vanities."

Originally posted by jaywill
You're the one whose kidding the self.

Anyway, I don't look around to see what the other guy is doing. When I am convinced of the truth in Christ I follow Christ. Martyrs, no martyrs - I am persuaded of the truth in Jesus Christ.

I tried the relativistic guesswork of those living for nothing. I found that to be [b]"vanity of vanities."[/b]

Please understand that I'm talking about Christianity in it's biblical
version. Of course, I should have written "in it's literal biblical
version". Having faith in Christ and being ready to endure any hardships
for him is, crazy - but it could be understood by the likes of me, if based
on more sensible arguments than the "literal truth" of the bible as it is
written today.

What I'm saying is, that when someone tells me they have faith in Christ
but they don't really believe the bible literally, or they believe that the
bible should be read in a certain way for the "wisdom" and "truth" therein
to be properly understood, I can see that they may not be complete
idiots (if still misguided in my opinion - that's just the pompous and
arrogant son of a non-promiscuous woman I am), and so I won't say
anything about that. That's a personal choice (yes, a choice - not a
calling) and it's not my place to tell people what to believe or not. But to
believe in stories literally, written as they were fairy tales for little children
is a very strange notion to me. The only reason I can see that people
would accept them as anything more than fairy tales is if they believe
there's something more to the stories than their literal meaning.

If you have a bunch of clever people saying that there is a higher
meaning to it all, a pure and indivisible truth, but that you'd have to
study the bible without questioning under the guidance of properly
trained theologians for years and then some to understand parts of it
(and then there's parts of the bible that cannot be understood fully in
human terms because: "God works in mysterious ways" ), you can believe
that if you want to. And if you want to, you can believe that the warmth
you feel in your chest as you see little children laughing and playing in
piece, or the joy that a specific moment can bring you for no reason at
all other than that you suddenly feel completely free and unfeathered by
trivial everyday things, or how much struggling you can endure for other
people's sake without really knowing why, is the cause of your love for
Christ. If you want to, you can believe something so intensely (even with
no tangible evidence) that you'd be ready to kill and/or die for it if ever
you thought it was threatened somehow. Even if the threat is mere
arguments designed to test your faith. That's called fanaticism, not love,
and I don't think that's what the bible (or any other religious text) is
really supposed to teach people.

I think, if your faith cannot withstand arguments based on simple human
logic, it's not really worth all that much in our simple human lives. It
must be able to endure the strain of logical criticism or it's really nothing
but wishful thinking. I wish for there to be a loving God with a purpose.
Everything I see I wish would be the cause of my beloved God. If I see
something I don't like I wish for it to be true that God is simply absent in
that particular scenario because the people involved won't accept him
into their hearts or because God is punishing us for something. But I
wish that in the end I will receive God's love as much as I have given
mine and so I'm sure now that God exist. The world is a wonderful place
and all bad things happens because God works in mysterious ways and
in the end I'll be at His side (with all the people I ever cared about) and
all will be fine. As long as I follow the rules given to me through the bible
and interpreted by my highly respected church. And if they say I have to
do this or that to receive God's love I will. Be it a catholic priest asking
sexual favours from me (the child) or the local minister telling me I
should not make friends with those and those people because they're
bad. I wish so much for the bible to be literally true, that I won't
accept any arguments against it as anything but an attempt to ruin my
faith and intimate connection with my God.

I wonder if God, should he really exist, meant for us to act stupid in his
name based on words written by humans and the interpretations of those
words by yet other humans?