Chapter 1 Part 2 - What Good is Christianity??

In this second excerpt from Chapter 1, we examine so-called "Christian contributions" to society:

The ancient religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism have certainly influenced the Abrahamic faiths and their history, and it is through this history that we also come to understand why and how Christianity has became one of the most dominant faiths in our society, as opposed to any of the other religions. It is also important to note that many so-called "learned Christians" of today such as David Aikman, are blissfully unaware of the history of their religious beliefs, as they adamantly proclaim Christianity should be credited with promoting "tolerance" and "freedom of thought,"¹ when we have just pointed out that this is not the case at all. Christianity is not so much about freedom of thought and tolerance as it is about control and manipulation.

In reference to any so-called "contributions" to society Christianity may have made, most were mere tokenism, and other so-called contributions were made with another agenda in mind.

Consider what Dinesh D'Souza posits in his book, "What's So Great About Christianity" :

The "Dark Ages" were the consequence of Roman decadence and barbarian pillage. Slowly and surely, Christianity took this backward continent and gave it learning and order, stability and dignity. The monks copied and studied the manuscripts that preserved the learning of late antiquity. Christopher Dawson shows in "Religion of Western Culture" how the monasteries became the locus of productivity and learning throughout Europe. Where there was once wasteland, they produced hamlet, then towns and eventually commonwealths and cities. Through the years the savage barbarian warrior became a chivalric Christian knight, and new ideals of civility and manners and romance were formed that shape our society to this day." p. 43

In actuality, the people at that time were far from being "backwards." In fact, the some of the women were so adept at healing, the church found them to be a threat to their power  and persecuted them (i.e., the "witches"); the monks were busy writing only in Latin, so the general population would have no access to it (keeping the power in the hands of the clergy); and the so-called "chivalrous knights" were responsible for untold killing and torture during the Crusades and Inquistitions. This is not to say Christianity has not made any contributions to society. Some argue we would not have hosptials, orphanges, and universities if it were not for the Christians in the world--but at what cost? Was it worth it to murder all the medicine women so that men could take over their duties and create "hospitals" where millions more died of infection before they figured out they needed to wash their hands? (Something the medicine women already knew.) Was it worth it to create orphanages where children lived lives of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of priests and nuns? Was it worth it to teach only a select few in universities and keep the general populace ignorant for centuries? I do not think so. Christian contributions to society are minor in comparison to the misery it has caused.  In fact, if it were not for the supression of many artists, scientists, philosophers, healers, and others who went against church dogma and were either tortured or killed because their "contributions" threatened church hierarchy, we might be much further ahead today in the realms of science, medicine, art, and morality--were it not for Constantine and his cohorts.

1. The Delusion of Disbelief: Why the New Atheism Is a Threat to Your Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness, David Aikman, p. 40

The next post will be an excerpt from Chapter 2 - The Enigma Known as Yahweh