Maps of War (and Peace)
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Someone working on the Maps of War site has done a wonderful job of graphically portraying the development of the major religious groups through history in the video entitled “History of Religion.” There are slight errors, for example the portrayal of all of Spain as under Islam in the eighth century AD, when the northwest corner remained steadfastly Catholic, but overall it is an excellent history lesson. What strikes me, though, is that the Jews were never particularly interested in converting people, but that the Christians took off from their base in Judaism and spread over much of the world through persuasion.
That was at the beginning. With their so-called triumphalism in place, the “Christians” lost their biblical bearings and began massacring people (including each other) in the name of their faith. Islam didn’t bother with any initial restraint, but spread mainly by way of conquest from the outset. Its representatives have been called “meataxe missionaries.” As for the Eastern religions, their emphases, in particular Gautama Buddha’s insistence that “life equals suffering,” inhibited any movement to improve the lot of the people in material terms for many centuries.
Oh, religion! What crimes have been committed in thy name!
Comment by Wil ORaley on 6 May 2008:
Hurricane: How do you see the worlds religions today in terms of their current means of “persuasion?”
Comment by Hurricane on 6 May 2008:
Interesting question. Of course the radical Muslims are persecuting Christians to the extent, in Indonesia, of chopping the heads off schoolgirls on the way to school and leaving the heads at the school entrance. The many recent Muslim converts to Christianity are suffering some terrible persecution from the imams. I don’t know of anyplace in the world where Christians, real or phony, are using coercion, although there are Muslims who take them to court for supposedly doing so. I believe the Hindus stopped persecuting Christians quite some time ago. There were some horror stories there a hundred years ago.
As for the Jews, they’re as laid-back as ever. When I was in seminary my Jewish barber told me I ought to go to a school for rabbis instead. He said, “Hey, it’s a good life: nice salary, country club membership, not too much work.” So much for Jewish evangelism.
Comment by Snark Twain on 7 May 2008:
Welcome to Hypocrisy.com, Hurricane. Nice to add some “learned” to the community. I got my degree from the back cover of Captain Marvel #38.
In my capacity as spokesman for “my people,” allow me to thank you for your kind words about the Jews.
Comment by Bill - Florida on 7 May 2008:
#38?
That makes you practically a doctoral candidate at my university.
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