What has Christianity ever done for humanity?

[The Arizonan]

Okay seriously, if Christianity didn't exist, we'd be farther along technologically and not have annoying evangelicals who picket soldiers' funerals (as a guy in the military and Navy sailor, this is infuriating).

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Without Christianity, Islam probably would have conquered the West, and we'd all be living under the Taliban.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Without Christianity, Islam probably would have conquered the West, and we'd all be living under the Taliban.

No, Islam is just an extension of Christianity.

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http://www.secondexodus.com/html/evangelization/evangelizingmuslims.htm

[Associate Justice PiT]

     It inspired certain currents of philosophical thought as reactions to its existence & its teachings. Better than nothing, I say.

[dead0man]

le sigh

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

The USA probably wouldn't exist (we'd have people living here, but it probably wouldn't be the United States of America).  Europe would be vastly different.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

plenty of good books on the subject. you might start with some of the popular histories by Thomas Cahill

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/cahill/catalog.html

[Bo]

The Industrial Revolution might not have occured or might have occured later.

[useful idiot]

Okay seriously, if Christianity didn't exist, we'd be farther along technologically and not have annoying evangelicals who picket soldiers' funerals (as a guy in the military and Navy sailor, this is infuriating).

Yawn.

I don't accept the premise of the question. What do you mean by Christianity? Are we talking about organized religion, or the truthfulness of the claims found within the Bible?

In one sense I would say that if Christianity did not exist then we wouldn't be having this conversation because the universe would cease to exist. If we're talking about organized religion, then you can't calculate the ways it has shaped and influenced Western civilization, the dominant, and probably most progressive, civilization on earth. Almost every single thing would be different.

As a determinist, I tend to think everything is related to prior events and interconnected in some way. Even if it was made up, then it was inevitable and touches most things in the world in a number of areas.

Westboro Baptist Church is not Evangelical btw. They specifically don't evangelize, they're hyper-Calvinists(which is antithetical to actual Calvinism), and they're so extreme and distorted that most hyper-Calvinists wouldn't even claim them.

[King]

le sigh

[Eraserhead]

Wrong forum. Check out the "Religion & Philosophy" one.

[Sewer]

What have you ever done for humanity?

[KuntaKinte]

Without Christianity, Islam probably would have conquered the West, and we'd all be living under the Taliban.

LOL

[Zarn]

I don't know which post was more entertaining... the OP or the first response.

[Stranger in a strange land]

I don't know which post was more entertaining... the OP or the first response.

I'll go with the latter, though the first is pretty hilarious as well.

[John Dibble]

Without Christianity, Islam probably would have conquered the West, and we'd all be living under the Taliban.

LOL

[Devilman88]

Help start the United States

[Mechaman]

I don't know which post was more entertaining... the OP or the first response.

[John Dibble]

In one sense I would say that if Christianity did not exist then we wouldn't be having this conversation because the universe would cease to exist.

And why exactly would the universe not exist if Christianity didn't?

Help start the United States

Well, if by that you mean encourage people to come here because of religious prosecution (which sometimes they were guilty of themselves after they got here) and making the founders realize they needed a secular government which doesn't favor one religion over any others, sure. But that's more like what Christianity had done to make people think on what not to do rather than Christianity directly providing something.


On the plus side it can be argued that Christianity has inspired many of man's greatest works of art. Also, many rather famous scientists where inspired to pursue their scientific careers because of their religion.

Of course it could be argued that we'd be further ahead if Christianity never came about, but really we can't say for sure - some other religion very may well have gained popularity if Christianity hadn't been around and it could have been much worse for mankind.

[Devilman88]

In one sense I would say that if Christianity did not exist then we wouldn't be having this conversation because the universe would cease to exist.

And why exactly would the universe not exist if Christianity didn't?

Help start the United States

Well, if by that you mean encourage people to come here because of religious prosecution (which sometimes they were guilty of themselves after they got here) and making the founders realize they needed a secular government which doesn't favor one religion over any others, sure. But that's more like what Christianity had done to make people think on what not to do rather than Christianity directly providing something.


On the plus side it can be argued that Christianity has inspired many of man's greatest works of art. Also, many rather famous scientists where inspired to pursue their scientific careers because of their religion.

Of course it could be argued that we'd be further ahead if Christianity never came about, but really we can't say for sure - some other religion very may well have gained popularity if Christianity hadn't been around and it could have been much worse for mankind.

yea that what I was trying to say, just with less words

[Torie]

There isn't much evidence that Christianity effectively held back science, and indeed in some cases it facilitated it.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I was about to post something along the lines of 'what a stupid question' (something that is true, of course), but I think a rant against pop-utilitarianism and the rape of history would be better. So, insert it here.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

There isn't much evidence that Christianity effectively held back science, and indeed in some cases it facilitated it.

Absolutely......there are tons of non-believers who can't wait to find a scientific explanation for "godly" things......I'm not being critical, just highlighting my view of Torie's point.

[Gustaf]

I'm gonna go with Al's original line of thought: what a stupid question.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I'm gonna go with Al's original line of thought: what a stupid question.

Stupid, Gustaf?  Probably nothing in history has cause more wars and death than religion........now that's stupid.