Did Christianity improve people's lives?

[edhopper]

From the first to around the 5th Century, Christianity slowly became the preeminent religion in Europe.
But what changed for the common people ruled by Christians rather than Pagans?
The Kings still had close to absolute power over their lives. Slavery still existed, in some ways worse than before.
And the Church itself embarked on episodes of cruelty and torture on anyone they chose to.
Was Christianity en total a plus for the lives of common person?

The Enlightenment IMHO did not come from Christian though, but those who questioned it.

[Cartoonist]

1. Depends who you ask

And you can't ask the victims of Christian sponsored genocide.

[TalenaGor]

3. +1

[dhol82]

2. Christianity only improved the lives of the upper echelons of the administration

Bishops, cardinals and the pope got to live large. The common people, not so much.

[PJMcK]

4. There are an awful lot of victims in Christianity's history

From the Muslims killed during the Crusades to the persecuted victims of the Inquisition to the children sexually abused by the clergy, there's a broad swath of humans who probably aren't to fond of their Christian tormentors.

I left long ago. The hypocrisy, politics and fantasy-thinking were too much for me.

[MineralMan]

5. I would argue that Christianity slowed down progress.

The promise of an eternal reward was often held out as an answer to a life lived in poverty and oppression. The concept seemed to be: "Life sucks, we understand, but believe this stuff and you'll get your due reward for eternity. Don't believe, though, and trust us, your life will be even more miserable."

People will believe almost anything, it seems.

[malchickiwick]

6. The Saxons vote no!!

Charlemagne gave them the choice: convert or die. That was in the ninth century, BTW.

Also, you make it sound as if Christianity were just a single thing. Europe's bloodiest wars between 1517 and the mid 1600s were Christians killing other Christians over what it meant to be a true Christian.

[MineralMan]

7. As Salvador Dali said,

"Let my enemies devour each other."

As I say,

"Internecine religious warfare most benefits the non-religious, and should not be discouraged."

[marylandblue]

12. Problem is the collateral damage.to non-combatants

[MineralMan]

13. Yes, as always.

First, do no harm. The battles between religious denominations, though, is more of a philosophical war than a physical one. That's what I mean.

[NeoGreen]

9. Look how the 30-Years War plots out...

...in history in absolute deaths and deaths relative to population:



Pretty substantial bloodshed.

[IphengeniaBlumgarten]

8. I believe it clarified the line of succession for rulers

It defined marriage and restricted divorce. This limited the number of sons who could war among themselves for the kingship when their father died. Fewer wars would have benefitted everyone.

[highmindedhavi]

10. Many colleges, hospitals, orphanages

started by Christians, don't how many were started by atheists.

[edhopper]

11. Have you heard of education in Athens

or the Library at Alexandria.

We are talking about Christianity vs what it replaced.

And you are talking about relatively recent institutions.
What about the first millennium Christianity dominated?

[marylandblue]

15. I would say yes

The Roman Empire was falling apart anyway. A lot of civilization, social structure, and knowledge fell with it, but much of what was remained was preserved by the church. For example, when the empire was no longer able to defend a city, bishops organized local defenses.

[edhopper]

16. Though the Church also

destroyed a lot of the knowledge from the Romans and Greeks.

The Islamic world is who really preserved that.

Though I get your point. Without the Church, we don't know what would fill the vacuum.

On the other hand, was the "loving" Christian Church any better to the people than what came before?

[guillaumeb]

17. Yes. It also made some peoples' lives worse. eom

[MineralMan]

18. Have you visited the Vatican?

Christianity sure improved some lives.