tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142173052821875450.post3972400123567607099..comments2023-09-25T09:08:52.139-04:00Comments on A 'History of Religion' Blog: The Worst ThingSmithyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06027175818036574255noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142173052821875450.post-44875263807847457832013-02-23T21:16:45.908-05:002013-02-23T21:16:45.908-05:00Well, like most historic changes it had both good ...Well, like most historic changes it had both good and bad features. In terms of the spread of Christianity it was definitely good. In terms of remaining true to a religion that preached humility and an internal changing of life, not so good. This leads one to argue whether a widespread 'surface' Christianity and the hope that the essence of the faith would one day infiltrate whole societies is better or worse than remaining a small, embattled faith of followers who have thoroughly internalized its primary ideals.<br /><br />Gibbon was talking about the 5th century fall of the empire in the West - he perversely took the same attitude as the still remaining pagans of the day - that the old gods had made the empire strong and their abandonment by the empire caused its downfall. Gibbon was a curious character - writing in the rational 18th century, the age of 'enlightenment', he had been attracted to the Catholic church for a time, but settled on a standard 18th century rational deism that disliked organized religion.Smithyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06027175818036574255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142173052821875450.post-32198122415048558562013-02-23T14:57:02.386-05:002013-02-23T14:57:02.386-05:00On the contrary though, could we not say it was on...On the contrary though, could we not say it was one of the best possible 'movements' at the time? It could be seen as a unifying factor for the Germanic tribes [now granted I don't have much knowledge of the Antiquity pre-collapse] after migration periods. Tying in to the power structure .. it becomes a stronger tool for organization & community, but also so easily exploited.. <br /><br /><br />Gibbons has suggested that Christianity's mentality led to the downfall of Roman Empire; I wonder if he is talking about the initial fall in the 4th C or the latter one, with the Protestant reformation & various political disruptions - would this be the whole trajectory of his [simplified] argument?<br /><br />Voltaire was always suspicious of those Catholic Priests throughout the middle ages - although attempting to spread a message of Positive personal approaches ... it did not turn out exactly like this (Heretics were everywhere!). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com