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The reasons why hundreds of Pagans converted to Christianity

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Your diffidence is the result of how lacking the education system of Anglo-Saxon countries is. That is, in high school (but neither in the previous grades) they don't teach Ancient History, that is Greek History and Roman History.
It takes two years (at least) for us to study Greek and Roman history thoroughly, and we are supposed to know any thing about economy, religion, social-cultural development, migrations of the Ancient age (Prehistory- ad 476).
I assure you that Pagans converted to Christianity spontaneously: that's why they were persecuted. How could the Romans force them to convert to Christianity and persecute them because they were Christians at the same time?
I had several graduate courses in ancient Mediterranean and Near East culture, as well as several in history of world religions.

You're off base here and in the OP. Around the time of the first century c.e., there was a lot of religion-hopping, and a multiplicity of religions extant in the same areas at the same time. Many people didn't adhere to a single religion; it was felt that the more gods that were prayed to, the more benefits would be gained. Xy was certainly not immune to this. It's possible that many pagans didn't "convert," but simply "added" Xy to their list of practiced religions.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
There are many of those who find being selfish and greedy to be very easy. :) And those who follow Christianity are not immune to those.

precisely. Most Christians do not put Christianity into practice.
That implies they will not be saved just because they consider themselves Christians
 

Draupadi

Active Member
There are many of those who find being selfish and greedy to be very easy. :) And those who follow Christianity are not immune to those.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. It is the incorporation of pagan traditions like pagan festivals that made it easy. Those who say this also say that even the Christian concept of sacrifice of a God, especially the Son of God, for the salvation of humankind belongs to many pagan faiths like Mithraism.
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
You do realize that the English word heaven translates into Hebrew as sky, as in the sky with clouds? The word heaven as most modern Christians know it as a trans-dimensional place where spirits go ect. did not exist at that time ( the concept of which). I think they thought they would be literally resurrected.
Correct. Resurrection was largely believed to be physical.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Probably Christianity offered equality and fraternity in a way that appealed to people and undermined the emperor's authority. Perhaps some wealthy people sponsored it as a way to go back to life the way Rome was when it was a republic, and if not perhaps the emperors suspected that they did. Its all up in the air though, why exactly so many converted. I can understand the popularity of Christianity, however. There are many things that would have appealed to Romans of various backgrounds.
 

blueman

God's Warrior
I admit it. I was pagan when I was 20. Why have I become Christian?
Because Christ promised me justice, that is,
So I am the living proof that lots of Pagans converted to Christianity spontaneously, and naturally.
Many people converted to Christianity because they believed in the person of Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh who bore their sins and the condemnation they rightly deserved. They believed in His resurrection and the eternal justification through grace that it provided them.
 

ChristineES

Tiggerism
Premium Member
Sorry, I should have been more clear. It is the incorporation of pagan traditions like pagan festivals that made it easy. Those who say this also say that even the Christian concept of sacrifice of a God, especially the Son of God, for the salvation of humankind belongs to many pagan faiths like Mithraism.

It is also true that Christianity, and Jesus teachings are universal and true in other religions, as well. I don't believe that all of what Jesus taught was exclusive. :)
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
All right, I was talking about the Roman context. The religion of the Romans didn't promise divine justice. That's the reason of Christianity success in the Roman empire.

I don't doubt that lots of Soteric religions promised Heaven for the good.

besides...my thread is about reflecting upon a very simple concept. Christianity was successful because of people's wickedness.
So it was necessary a religion about Universal Love. That's how Paganism decayed
There was more than one Roman religion, and yes, many other did promise justice.
 

GoodbyeDave

Well-Known Member
Your diffidence is the result of how lacking the education system of Anglo-Saxon countries is. That is, in high school (but neither in the previous grades) they don't teach Ancient History, that is Greek History and Roman History.
It takes two years (at least) for us to study Greek and Roman history thoroughly, and we are supposed to know any thing about economy, religion, social-cultural development, migrations of the Ancient age (Prehistory- ad 476).
Well, I had a classical education and I know what I'm talking about.

Christianity was a small scale religion until Constantine adopted it: archeological evidence shows that. But Christianity was a cult, like the Mormons today: closed, inward-looking, and indoctrinating: marry a Christian, and your children would be Christian. And secret: a bit like the freemasons, some might say.

Once Christianity became official, Hellenes were increasingly subject to discrimination. Is it any wonder that they converted? — just as many Christians in the Near East later converted to Islam. As well as the official discrimination, there was the activity of the monks: burning temples or breaking into houses to destroy private shrines. You can read memoirs of some of them, chiefly from Egypt, and they sound like the Islamists of today.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Probably Christianity offered equality and fraternity in a way that appealed to people and undermined the emperor's authority. Perhaps some wealthy people sponsored it as a way to go back to life the way Rome was when it was a republic, and if not perhaps the emperors suspected that they did. Its all up in the air though, why exactly so many converted. I can understand the popularity of Christianity, however. There are many things that would have appealed to Romans of various backgrounds.

Finally someone who really understands how things evolved.
The success of Christianity is all about Economics and Politics!
but...above all, Economics.

The Imperial economic system was practically liberistic and allowed the rich senators to speculate on land and get richer at cost of the peasants' poverty.
Besides, the emperor got richer and richer thanks to a taxation system which was really devilish,---
the Roman private law was full of injustice because it gave power to creditors and enslaved the debtors.

So...given that Christianity despises the rich, it was obvious that all the poor would have converted to this new religion.
easy as pie to get

so...if you want to blame something or someone for Christianity success, blame Romans' greed and money-hunger
 
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sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Many people converted to Christianity because they believed in the person of Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh who bore their sins and the condemnation they rightly deserved. They believed in His resurrection and the eternal justification through grace that it provided them.
Don't be so sure that it was so pie-in-the-sky and fairy-tale happy as all that. Many came to Xy as part of their total religious experience, and as a way to gain more Divine favor. Many of them didn't care who they prayed to. Xy was advertised as "the most powerful god," so people converted, wanting to gain the most benefits from the most powerful god, while continuing to pray to the old gods.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Well, I had a classical education and I know what I'm talking about.

Once Christianity became official, Hellenes were increasingly subject to discrimination. Is it any wonder that they converted? — just as many Christians in the Near East later converted to Islam. As well as the official discrimination, there was the activity of the monks: burning temples or breaking into houses to destroy private shrines. You can read memoirs of some of them, chiefly from Egypt, and they sound like the Islamists of today.

Emperor Theodosius turned Christianity into a religion of hatred. Lots of pagans were persecuted and forced to reject their religion.
Paganism became clandestine and secret, because of this emperor who was any thing but Christian.

Christianity is about universal tolerance. I am Pelagian, so I think that even Atheists can be saved
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Well, I had a classical education and I know what I'm talking about.

Christianity was a small scale religion until Constantine adopted it: archeological evidence shows that. But Christianity was a cult, like the Mormons today: closed, inward-looking, and indoctrinating: marry a Christian, and your children would be Christian. And secret: a bit like the freemasons, some might say.

Once Christianity became official, Hellenes were increasingly subject to discrimination. Is it any wonder that they converted? — just as many Christians in the Near East later converted to Islam. As well as the official discrimination, there was the activity of the monks: burning temples or breaking into houses to destroy private shrines. You can read memoirs of some of them, chiefly from Egypt, and they sound like the Islamists of today.
This^^^
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Don't be so sure that it was so pie-in-the-sky and fairy-tale happy as all that. Many came to Xy as part of their total religious experience, and as a way to gain more Divine favor. Many of them didn't care who they prayed to. Xy was advertised as "the most powerful god," so people converted, wanting to gain the most benefits from the most powerful god, while continuing to pray to the old gods.


Dear friend, the success of Christianity is due to Economic reasons, mainly.
It is clear that the poor love a religion that says that the rich will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
 

MD

qualiaphile
I think a question I would be more concerned with if I was Christian, is why so many are leaving the faith today?
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
I think a question I would be more concerned with if I was Christian, is why so many are leaving the faith today?

you mean that they become Atheists?
well...because worshiping God is not necessary. All that matters is that you believe in altruism, that is what Christ taught.
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Dear friend, the success of Christianity is due to Economic reasons, mainly.
It is clear that the poor love a religion that says that the rich will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
What's clear is that you're not clear on the subject.
 
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