Knowing the biblical history associated with Jesus (I.e. Pontius Pilate crucifying him to appease the Jews), how did Roman Catholicism end up becoming the dominant religion in the Roman world? It seem like they’d want to distance themselves from that, sort of like how it would be kind of awkward for Jews to accept Jesus as the messiah, ya know?
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Roman Empire was the country of Jews. Jews were not first class citizens in Rome. Romanized Jews wanted a “softened” Judaism for being able to live as a Jew and Roman at the same time. Christianity first spread among those Romanized Jews that existed all around the Roman Empire. At that time Christianity was just a sect of Judaism.
However, being Christian didn’t automatically make them first class citizens because Jesus claimed to be the king of the world hence defied the king of the Roman Empire -the emperor.
At the same time, Rome was constantly in civil wars. There was a lack of unity. Multiple versions of Roman religion caused a morally “non-standard” society. Some of the parts of the society such as slaves were in quite a very bad position.
Moreover, Roman religion was not like Judaism. It didn’t make you live forever in a heaven after dying. Going into a religious building for praying also didn’t exist and women were also in an even worse relationship with the religious life.
So, Christianity provided Romanized Jews to be somewhat Jew and a Roman at the same time. It first spread among those Jews who wanted to slash some parts of Judaism so that they wouldn’t stand out in a negative manner. Then others who saw Christians going “into” the church building, being part of the church itself, and and who see that Christians believe that they are going to heaven were affected by Christians. So the numbers further increased passing the number of Romanized Jews.
Opportunities that Christianity provided to the women also further accelerated the appeal of Christianity. While Roman religion was vague and ambiguous about many things, Christianity was loud and clear about the family life. Numbers further increased.
Human life was somewhat sacred in Christianity. Slavery was not compatible. Numbers increased among slaves, former slaves, and others in very bad situation. Economic inequality worked for the tide of change.
After a period of time Christians became a group of people with considerable numbers in every part of Rome. That point was the time when Christians became an asset. A community that can be “used” to achieve a political goal: READ an army. That army started to achieve minor victories here and there. Some big Roman families used them, and hence, gave Christians more power. Their population further increased.
Christians were “standard” in morality. All a single community. They were united as a fist. Controlling that fist, after a while, provided an advantage. They called themselves “Militia Christi” (army/soldiers of Christ). A religious terrorist organization with many cells existing everywhere in Rome.
Finally, a Roman general needed an army that can be used to become an emperor. Constantine, betrayed his empire and turned to Christian army to become an emperor. This was a “cheat” he used in the game.
At that point Christians were still a minority. But a minority that was organized as an army and that made a man the king of Romans. So, Constantine “the traitor” destroyed Rome. Consider it like Anakin going to the Jedi Temple after killing Mace Vindu. Constantine the traitor had to demolish former gods to prevail after his first victory. So he attacked his father’s nation and country of his ancestors leaving Romans unguarded against Militia Christi -the new Roman army.
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