Why are Christianity and Islam so large compare to the other religions?

Question

why are they the largest religions in the world? can there be any reasons besides wars to expand territories, thus spreading the religion?

note: let's not have any debates about the religions' validity, just tell me why they are the largest.

Answer 1

Because they both come from the sons of Abraham. Isaac is the root of Judaism which begat Christianity and Ishmael is the root of Islam.

Answer 2

Christianity is not as large as many people perceive it to be.  The reason why people think that there are a huge amount of Christians is because millions of people say that they are Christians even though they are not. They are not lying, they are deceived.

The vast majority of every church congregation will not be true Christians, they will be mainly people who go to church on a Sunday, (maybe every Sunday or maybe just when they feel like it). They'll want to be married in a church, have their children baptised in church and have a church funeral for themselves and most of their family members. They might even sent their children to Sunday school.  This will be true in all denominations, it is not peculiar to just one or two.

In each of these congregations there will be a minority of true born-again Christians who love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart. They love Him because they learned that He sacrificed Himself for them to save them from being punished for their own sins. They know He loves them and they love Him and want to serve Him for the rest of their lives.  The is not head knowledge, it is heart knowledge. They commune with Him on a one-to-one basis at home and communally in church but most will be aware that very few others sitting in the pews are of like mind.

Until someone is saved they never realised what it meant. I thought I was a Christian for 19 years before I actually was one. I did all the things that church goers do until the day when I heard the gospel preached in a meaningful way and the Holy Ghost was drawing me to Christ.

Wars and expanding territories have a lot to do with why many CALL themselves Christians but a personal encounter with God is the only way that we actually become a Christian.

Roman Catholicism is the largest branch of 'Christianity' and is due mainly to the fact that when a R.C. person marries the spouse must convert (or is seriously 'encouraged' to do so) and they have large families because of the teaching on birth control.

In Islam it is similar. They are strongly encouraged not to marry out of their faith and if they do it is difficult for the spouse not to convert. All children will also be brought up in the faith and, they too, often have large familes.

Answer 3

Christianity is not large at all.Read Matthew 7:13-14.

Answer 4

Simply because of the wars and fighting and their ingrained concepts that they are the only right religion, and they will destroy anyone who does not convert.

That's why if I had to pick a favorite amongst the big 3, i'd go with Judaism.  At least they don't care what other people worship.

Ugh, thank the Gods i'm Heathen.

Answer 5

i think becouse the pepol who believe about this religions are very huge

Answer 6

crusades really are the only answer to that

Answer 7

In my country, both Christians (Catholics, the most) and Muslims does not practice birth control.

Answer 8

Simple,there is only one God.

Answer 9

The "convert or die" approach they keep using throughout history seems to work pretty well, obviously.

Answer 10

They're large at the moment due to population - that's the modern reason. Historically speaking... I know certain countries converted to Islam due to the good practices they saw among those who were with them (eg a lot of people converted in Spain when it was "Al Andalus")



Christianity... I guess there would be a lot of the same thing. People converting due to the good practices of Christians at the time. However that's really a minority - the history of Christianity in Europe, for example, is completely tied up with the killings of pagans or simply those who didn't believe. This can also be seen in certain countries (and definitely not all) who converted to Islam - but the reasons for expansion of the religion is definitely not just about wars.  

Answer 11

I think, because both promoted conversions by all means.

Answer 12

***EDIT EDIT EDIT****

Read the pie chart wrong, Christianity has the largest percentile.  Whoops...

Mostly because of conversion by force and by evangelizing and by creating a self-modifying cycle of reasoning making the non-existence of God impossible.  Basic propaganda.

Answer 13

Because both actively used the "convert or die" approach to prostylization for long periods of their history

Answer 14

Because they are missionary religions.

Answer 15

At the root both are similar in the belief of the one true God.

Esau and Jacob is where you see the Divide, It was God's will to have the older serve the younger. It's interesting that this never happened in their own lives but it can be seen today and through out history as Esau represents Islam and Jacob Christianity. God preferred Jacob.