Science, Creation & EvolutionHelix - atheistI've read a number of history books, Jovaro. I have also taught history. I have studies and taught European history. After the downfall of Rome, in approximately 500 A.D., the European continent was plunged into chaos. THEY were sacked and pillaged by invaders from the East, and thus small, independent kingdoms arose. (As a side note, all of your Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc. stories originate in reference to this time). Feudalism became the order of the day, with fiefs organizing with one another for reasons of defense. They were fighting for survival and not venturing anywhere near the countries we consider third world right now. This was the beginning of the idea of universal schooling, at least for the boys -- something which would receive some serious setbacks. But it was the education and subsequent Renaissance that would bring Europe out of the Dark Ages, not any conquering of anyone else. By the time the Age of Exploration was kicked off by Columbus in 1492, the European states had already reached a degree of financial and social stability and advancement which would mark them as powers in the world. Let's go back a few hundred years, though, to 1071, as this was the year the Muslims -- ordered by their own scriptures to be ready willing and able to spread their religion by violence and murder -- conquered Jerusalem. To the European Catholics this was something that could not be tolerated, for the conquerors forbid treks to the Holy Land. This culminated in the Crusades -- a number of them, and only the first was in any way successful. For the most part, they were an abject failure resulting in the deaths of most the Europeans engaged in them! This was not exactly pillaging a third world nation, please note -- it was mass suicide! The Roman Catholic church, by this time, had repeatedly shown its true colors. It was out to rule the world regardless of method. On the other hand, it was also the power that legitimized various rulers in Europe (until Henry VIII rebelled in the mess between Catharine of Aragon and Ann Bolyn). Thus, when the Catholic church said 'jump', the rulers tended to ask 'how high?' on the way up! In Spain the Church had been fighting back the Muslim Moors. In the area surrounding Jerusalem they were meeting one ignominious failure after another. In Europe, simple Christian sects who did not bow to Rome but rather followed the Bible simply and clearly were also a thorn in Rome's side. And thus the Inquisitions. A pretty good page on this is here: http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Inquisition Jovaro, it was not until the Age of Exploration was well underway that the destruction of other, pagan cultures was undertaken for profit. But these forays sometimes resulted in impoverishment of the conquerors because of the enormous cost of these expeditions. But it was the rise of towns, the establishment of universities (beginning about 1000 A.D.) and the trade with the East which led to the rise of European power, long before they tried to enslave or rob any other areas of the world. Please, I do know what I am talking about. First of all, Catholics are not biblical Christians. They claim Christianity and, sadly, are thought of as Christians by a good part of the world. But true Christianity is following Christ, which they most emphatically don't! So to claim that Christians were the source of the massacres when it was Catholics is probably ignorance on your part, but nevertheless, untrue. Secondly, as documented briefly above, it was Europe which was invaded, shattered, and had to recover. The recovery was primarily internal, resulting in the Reformation and Renaissance, and did not have anything to do with invasion or subjugation of any other country. |
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