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Fri 10 Aug, 2007 04:40 am
For example:
when Islam reached Persia Zoroastrianism was wiped out.
India (expecially the northern part) was dominated for centuries by Muslim
dynasties (Moghul, Delhi Sultanate) and Hinduism is still there instead .
On the other side Hinduism never spread really outside India despite the fact that it is the oldest religion on earth.
Judaism too doesn't proselitize much, despite the fact that Jews endured centuries of harsh persecutions without converting to other religions.
Why Pagan religions in North and Eastern Europe didn't
stand a chance against Christianity (not talking about the native religions in
the Americas)?
AFAIK to explain the success of a religion can be included at least 3 variabiles:
1-Universalistic religion vs Ethnic religion
2-Promise of pleasant afterlife or reincarnation (which is IMO a great inducement for new converts)
3-Oppression of unbelievers/heretics by the governement in charge.
Does anybody knows more/better about the subject or other variabiles
that could be included in the model?
In addition to the promise of an afterlife, I believe some religions maintain its survival by being elitist, rather than universal, strange as it seems. I don't believe Judaism would be Judaism today if it converted many people. It likes the historical story of surviving against all odds, I believe. And the Jewish culture focuses on quality, rather than quantity, I believe. This is only an opinion. Nothing for anybody to get any feathers ruffled.
Also, Judaism is not an ethnic religion. In Israel there are Jews from the four corners, and look like they came from the four corners of the world. It's a canard that Jews are an ethnicity. Every country they went to they mixed with the population. They are quite the hybrids. They just like to wax nostalgic over the genes they have that might have been in Moses' desert entourage. They sold the world their story. Or, at least it was adopted by a billion Christians.
I think the rise and fall of any religion stems from the family unit. When the home is maintained as a sanctuary, and the children are taught from a passionate, balanced perspective, the religion will regenerate itself.
The Judeo religion has always maintained its home as sanctified. And they "sin" away from home and remain pious at home. The priorities are lived and honored before the offspring.
Generational contempt is the root of change. Change for convenience steals the passion for the tenants and faith of the believer.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I am under the impression that:
1) Christianity has been expanded with colonialism/sword/gun rather than by the people's free choice.
2) I once thought that Islam was expanded through the sword but apparently it was not so I heard.
3) I also thought the Jews marry between them or require that people convert to their religion to get married. I think, but I am not sure, that the Arabs also respect their homes, so maybe Jews are not the only ones.
Maybe Hinduism remained in India because they did not conquer other lands?
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