Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Shake · 02-11-2003, 10:33 AM

Quote:

quote:
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Originally posted by One of the last sane
Also, would it be fair to say that India and China proved more resistant to conversion to Christianity by their white overlords and, if so, why?
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Would that not have something to do with truth?

Only the truth that no one religion is superior to, nor any more true than any other. See below:

Quote:

India, China and Japan had relatively advanced civilizations of their own. Christianity has almost never prevailed against a comparable level of technology.

Jack the Bodiless puts this very nicely, and correctly I might add. A sufficiently advanced alien culture would seem like gods to us.

Ab_Normal · 02-11-2003, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Godless Dave
Mostly because the conquerors killed anyone who didn't convert. Once they had taken over, if you wanted to be on their good side you joined their religion (and adopted their style of dress and learned their language). This doesn't just work for Christianity, but for any religion of a conquering people. That's how Islam spread to South Asia. It's why many Bosnians are Muslim - converts to Islam had more rights under he Ottoman Empire.

I bristle a little bit whenever someone says Christianity is part of my heritage. My religious heritage is the stories of Odin, Thor, Tyr, and Freyja. My ancestors were robbed of their heritage by Christian conquerors.

I'm a little boggled that we were some 13 posts into this thread before someone brought up "convert or die". Yikes.

Bree · 02-11-2003, 11:34 AM

Yeah, the "convert or I'll crush you slowly with large stones" argument is quite compelling.

hinduwoman · 02-11-2003, 05:40 PM

In India itself, there were several reasons ---

!) converts were given access to better medical facilities and jobs in government. Prosperity in other words.

2) missionary schools.

3) Deception --- doing tricks and convincing people that Christians had greater magic.

4) better life for people at bottom rung of society.

5) Individual conversions on grounds of genuine belief --- very few.

6) After any disaster like floods or famines, the orphaned children would be handed over to missions by the British govt.

7) convert or kill --- in present day, yes.

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02-11-2003, 11:34 AM	#23
Bree Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Twin Cities, USA Posts: 3,197	Yeah, the "convert or I'll crush you slowly with large stones" argument is quite compelling.

02-11-2003, 05:40 PM	#24
hinduwoman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: India Posts: 6,977	In India itself, there were several reasons --- !) converts were given access to better medical facilities and jobs in government. Prosperity in other words. 2) missionary schools. 3) Deception --- doing tricks and convincing people that Christians had greater magic. 4) better life for people at bottom rung of society. 5) Individual conversions on grounds of genuine belief --- very few. 6) After any disaster like floods or famines, the orphaned children would be handed over to missions by the British govt. 7) convert or kill --- in present day, yes.

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