Would Christianity have lasted this long if its basic tenets were not true?

Question

Even if you don't believe in the theistic God, you have to believe that basic Christian moral teachings are true.

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

The best you can get out of me is that Jesus is believed to have said some very wise things.

It is a shame so many people who claim to be his followers are actually Paulians...  or anti-catholics <their "christianity" was designed as a rebellion from catholicism>

If people actually only taught what Jesus taught, more people would probably believe.  It's the rest of the "Bible" that we have to accept as "the perfect word of god" that causes my disbelief.

The only thing that Jesus said that I can't agree with is that he and Jehovah are the same being.

Answer 2

What moral teachings? Basic morals existed long before Christianity.

Christianity lasted a long time because Christians killed anyone who didn't believe in it.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, the librarian of Alexandria was pulled off her carriage and skinned alive. In the first crusade, Christians killed tens of thousands of people they called "infidels". The Children's Crusade (1212) caused the deaths of nearly 50,000 children. Preachers sentenced to death and executed thousands during the Inquisition (1233-1834) for heresy and witchcraft. There were the Salem witch trials (1692) in America. The 17th Century Thirty Years War (Catholics v. protestants) wiped out tens of millions in Europe. In the Taiping Rebellion in China in the 1850's a Christian cult started a war that resulted in the slaughter of twenty million people. In the Holocaust six million Jews were murdered. Muslims and Christians in Bosnia reached a death toll of over 250,000.

See what I mean?

Answer 3

By your assumption, the Hindu religion should be true also, since it has lasted longer than Christianity and has some of the same concepts.

There are many religions which are older than Christianity, so they must be the real thing too. Most of the stories in the Bible are in the older religions, and as it appears, were taken from the older ones, so the only thing that is different in each for the most part is in the names of the characters.

As the disclaimers used to read, "Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent".

Answer 4

Christianity has not really lasted that long in the grand scheme of things. It's just a blip in the existence of humans.

Answer 5

When the apostles were all imprisoned a Jewish leader stood up and gave wise counsel. His name was Gamaliel. (Acts 5:34-40) He told fellow Jews that if Christianity was nothing, then it would come to nothing. If however, it was of God, there was nothing they could do to stop it as they would be fighting against God. They took his advice, beat the apostles and let them go.

If Christianity were not true it could not have lasted. But it is true. The Word of God is true. And judgment is coming for all. Is repentance towards God not your next step?

Answer 6

each to his own

Answer 7

love your neighbor is certainly a moral teaching.....calling it a "christian tenet" though is co-opting a belief that exists in many major religions and exists where there is an absence of religion.  Morality can be totally different from religion.

Additionally, many teachings that people will label "christian" are actually found in writings that pre-date christianity, including psalms, parables, etc.

Answer 8

OK, let's look at it this way.

As a Christian, you probably believe that Hinduism and Buddhism are wrong.  However, each of those religions predate Christianity.  Hinduism predates Christianity by 1500 years and Buddhism predates Christianity by 560 years.

So, using your own logic, are you willing to state that Hinduism and Buiddhism are more true than Christianity?

Answer 9

christianity does NOT have the monopoly when it comes to good behaviour and morals.

In fact, more atrocities have been committed in the name of christianity than any other. I see it as a vile, controlling and threatening religion. One that puts fear of god and blind faith and obedience amongst its followers first.

Thank goodness it is dying out

Answer 10

So the basic tenets of a longer lasting religion like Judaism are not true?

Answer 11

You don't seem to understand the term 'morals'... they are neither true or untrue, they are entirely subjective by their very nature.

The Buddhist tenets are better anyway. Go convert.

Answer 12

Hinduism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism and Buddhism all are older and have been practiced longer than Christianity.

And, if what you say is true; why are Atheists under-represented (relative to Christians) in jails and prisons, and over-represented (relative to Christians) in science and higher education? Why do Atheists have lower rates of: criminal behavior, divorce, teen pregnancy, and STD infection than Christians?

Answer 13

Most Christian "moral teachings" are similar or identical to the moral teachings in every other major world religion.  They work well in our societal systems, and so they get incorporated into religions and governments.

Judaism, Hinduism, and many pagan faiths are far older than Christianity.  If age is an indicator of truth, animism is the way to go.

Answer 14

i love god

i m a christian

every teaching is true

Christianity should last 4ever

death is a thing everyone goes through

the only reason he demands death is either 4 sacrifices(lambs,goats,etc.)

to show people what happens if u go against him

to show he loves you

to test if u r afraid of him

it may seem destructive, but it is actually because he loves us so much.

Answer 15

The good aspects of Christian morality, all of which are distilled in the Golden Rule, pre-date Christianity and consequently are not original to Christianity.

Answer 16

Not really, no. I accept that a lot of Christian morality, the parts which are the foundation of every society even the, ones established before Christianity, are good rules, such as no murdering, no stealing, etc.

I say that a lot of the other parts such as beating your children with rods, demonising homosexuals, treating women as second-class citizens, that kind of thing, they're certainly not 'true' by any means.

Answer 17

Christianity is about power and money, and AN APPEAL FROM FEAR. Basic 'christian' moral teachings can and should come down to the Golden Rule, which they borrowed from the Buddhists. Once people really stop being afraid of a non-existent god, and start thinking for themselves, they stop being 'christians'.