Bradley Wright has a great interactive map showing how it works. Dig the timeline for, say, communism vs. the timeline for Christianity.
I've been coming to the conclusion that Christianity has survived and thrived because it works. After watching the map linked on his blog, that hypothesis seems to be born out. People will stick with failure only so long.
This is an interesting point--I like it.
ReplyDeleteI think that religion has outlasted nations because it fulfills a need that is imbedded in humanity--a need that stretches across ages and time. Nations, and the philosophies upon which governments are based, many times fulfill rather a more fleeting need that has a tendency to change.
In the case of Christianity in particular, I think it's main advantage, if you will allow, is that it has changed so very slowly. While a detriment in many ways, slow changes incorporated over time and after contemplation, many times allow for an entity to survive because those changes are gradually incorporated rather than forced suddenly upon that entity.
Christianity has survived and thrived because it works
ReplyDeleteHow 'bout 'cause it's true?
Jeff, I agree that it is true, but I also like to make a pragmatic argument for it as well.
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