ReallyRiles55 t1_iz7aiw4 wrote on December 7, 2022 at 12:13 AM

Reply to comment by [deleted] in How did new emerging religions succeed despite established pre-existing religions during ancient and/or pre-historic times? by matthewlee0165

This only applies to Southern European pagan religions. Many of the sites of worship in North and Western European pagan religion varies widely from region to region and tribe to tribe. Some could be located out in nature and open to all while others could be centered around a single “priest” or group of “priests” who interacted with people based on their own discretion. That being said we really don’t know for sure how most of them operated as almost all did not keep any records whatsoever.

StepSideways77 t1_izax23n wrote on December 7, 2022 at 7:41 PM

So true. A lot of how we look at pre Christian "pagans" comes from the romantics of the 1800-ish era. For pagan leaders Christianity's best selling point was its hierarchical structure. By adopting Christianity you also brought its leadership structure into your society. Pope/king, Cardinal/Baron, priests/sheriffs. It showed how to divide up a country, who shows fealty to who. Volodymyr I of Kyiv openly stated this was one of the main reasons he chose Christianity... he liked the way the church was run. He mapped it's structure onto civil society.

ReallyRiles55 t1_izayf9y wrote on December 7, 2022 at 7:50 PM

Not to mention it was profitable for the kingdom’s leaders. Tithe’s were built into the Christian religion and and many took kickbacks from the church for protection. That and things like “the meek shall inherent the earth” persuaded the peasantry to a certain content with being poor, which contributed to subduing uprisings. Not to mention the security that came with converting to Christianity. When kingdoms around you convert and are actively encouraged and supported to convert other pagans and attack if they resist, it starts to become a safer option for your people to just convert to avoid bloodshed.

StepSideways77 t1_j09oz78 wrote on December 15, 2022 at 1:53 AM

Tithes / Taxes and protection rackets... yeah, yer right. I didn't think of that. Don't forget the looting and plunder that came with subduing pagans. It you convert them. you get to take their lands.... in reality that's what happened.

StepSideways77 t1_j0zzgva wrote on December 20, 2022 at 5:52 PM

Tithe's for the church, taxes for the state... That "Render onto Caesar..." line must have stuck out to the early royal adopters. The big guy, JC, tells all to pay taxes, mentions giving god his cut as well. A suspect line, possibly inserted... very convenient for secular rulers, and the church.