@stevep59 Only a few things that you probably already know but I still want to expose my stupid knowledge.
Yes, christianism played a huge role in the maintain of roman Empire, because several religions in the empire created a a big weakness. But originally christianism wasn't very tolerated, and a first way to convert people in order to increase the number of christians, was to accept all gods "Yes, they exist, but look dude, they are olds and weaks. Our monotheistic God is definitely much more badass" and it worked ! it also worked because christianism allowed many things that was forbidden in other religions.
That fact of hunting non-christian people came after. For political reasons christianism have fastly evolved into the roman Empire by syncretism with Sol Invictus which were a ultimate try to give the whole empire the same religion.
Actually this is not specific to monotheistic religions, for example Shintoists in Japan or Buddhists in Korea spent centuries trying to kill and convert all christians, finally Protestantism is the first practiced religion in Korea and it took two nuclear bombs to make catholicism massively reducing its influence on Japan.
Ironically, it isn't conflicts between sects which led to the dislocation of the roman Empire, but a massive financial crisis which led to high level of taxes and a high level of statism.
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@stevep59 Only a few things that you probably already know but I still want to expose my stupid knowledge.
Yes, christianism played a huge role in the maintain of roman Empire, because several religions in the empire created a a big weakness. But originally christianism wasn't very tolerated, and a first way to convert people in order to increase the number of christians, was to accept all gods "Yes, they exist, but look dude, they are olds and weaks. Our monotheistic God is definitely much more badass" and it worked ! it also worked because christianism allowed many things that was forbidden in other religions.
That fact of hunting non-christian people came after. For political reasons christianism have fastly evolved into the roman Empire by syncretism with Sol Invictus which were a ultimate try to give the whole empire the same religion.
Actually this is not specific to monotheistic religions, for example Shintoists in Japan or Buddhists in Korea spent centuries trying to kill and convert all christians, finally Protestantism is the first practiced religion in Korea and it took two nuclear bombs to make catholicism massively reducing its influence on Japan.
Ironically, it isn't conflicts between sects which led to the dislocation of the roman Empire, but a massive financial crisis which led to high level of taxes and a high level of statism.