The Dark History of Christianity

 

The beginning days of Christianity read out a lot like the emergence of ISIS out in the Middle East. Both were born of a fanaticism that excluded all else and did not rely on reason. The notion  behind the way these things were carried out is born of arrogance and ignorance. Christianity has a bloodier history than Islam does. Yet history repeats itself.

At the outset in the Roman empire where Christianity first took hold around 300 AD, one could envision scenes of mad religious lunatics destroying ancient artifacts. This is exactly what happened. Fanaitical Christians tore through places like Syria, Egypt, Greece, Anatolia and Italy. Black robed monks would storm through a city with hammers and other objects of destruction and destroy ancient statues and temples.

Christians were not thought of too much by any major players in the Roman Empire. For the first few hundred years there is scant mention of them in any writing. Most educated people thought them to be rather stupid. All the great philosophers were empriricists demanded proof and the use of scientific method. Christians took things on blind faith. The Christian polemics like to go on about how badly the Roman Empire persecuted Christians. In fact they were not more persecuted than anyone else who refused to give offering unto Cesar. The roman were open minded about gods and would admit any of them to the Roman religion provided that they still followed the Roman religion and made offering to Cesar. The Christians did not but the Roman Pagans sought to persuade the Christians to do the right thing and often the Christians refused. Only after several attempts were they finally punished. Christians were hungry for martyrdom. So hungry in fact that many who were not persecuted enough chose to die by suicide.

 

Once the Christians gained the upper hand they engaged in a massive campaign of censorship. Classic texts written by well known philosophers were thrown to the flames and destroyed. Some works were saved which did not conflict with Christianity. Even then it was edited.  Anything erotic or theological that went against the Christian line was censored. Soon the whole lifestyle of the empire was thrust aside for a more Christian Empire. Philosophers were driven out of the empire.

 

The more things stay the same the more they stay the same. The Christians engaged in mindless destruction the worlds pagan past. This meant the destruction of temples, statues books and wisdom. So much wisdom has been lost and never to be retrieved again. Humanity does the same thing repeatedly.