Comments by "" (@orboakin8074) on "Richard Dawkins and the Last Church" video.

As a Nigerian Catholic, I agree. Christianity was the religion that helped abolish slavery across Africa. It gave rise to science, rational and reason movements. It built the modern world we enjoy. Why westerners became so disillusioned with it is beyond me.
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As a Nigerian Catholic, I will never understand why mist wester ers decided to abandon Christianity and Judeo-Christian values. Christianity was the religion that helped abolish slavery across Africa. It gave rise to science, rational and reason movements. It built the modern world we enjoy. Why westerners became so disillusioned with it is beyond me.
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@User-o46774 thanks for the info, friend. I am not from the west and the alarming rate I which many westerners are so quick to condemn or dismiss Christianity did shock and confuse me, especially given how accessible information on history is for them. I mean, I'm surprised when many of them disbelieve me when I tell them how Christianity is responsible for slavery being abolished here in Africa. Your explanation makes more sense for this trend.
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@User-o46774 Yeah, that is likely very true but by God's grace, we will all get through it. Thanks friend.
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@nobleman9393 really? So you think the sociocultural, moral, political and economic frameworks your western society is built on existed without Judeo-Christian values and influence?
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@nobleman9393 very funny you mention this considering how current history shows that the 12th century and afterwards, were among the most pivotal eras for scientific development in Europe. The early-to-mid middle ages experienced a decline in science due to the fall of western Rome and a lack of organized social and political structure to preserve and promote knowledge, but you fail to mention how the Church stepped in to fill this vacuum and, in collaboration with various ruling monarchies, they worked to preserve what little scientific research and knowledge already existed. You also fail to mention how the High Middle ages were when western Europe experienced an early boom in scientific development and innovation and this later led to the enlightenment and scientific revolution and age of reason. I am not even a Westerner but at least I actually read history.
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@nobleman9393 and which country ould you be from exactly? It you mean Britain, pretty sure the pre-existing Roman administration and rulers, who were largely Christian at this time, were the ones who laid the foundation for administrative and social building before their fall and that was what your country further built on.
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@nobleman9393 Funny you mention this since current history dispels this myth of the middle ages being bereft of science or progress or knowledge. The 12th century is actually touted as one of the most pivotal eras of scientific development in Europe. The early-to-mid middle ages experienced a decline in scientific knowledge and research due to the fall of western Rome and the breakdown of administration and social authority to preserve and promote knowledge however, you fail to mention how the Church stepped in to fill this void. In collaboration with various monarchies, the church worked to preserve the little scientific knowledge they still had and built on that. they also used translated and preserved texts for Arabs, who actually worked to preserve Greek texts and sciences during that time. This action of the church led to the enlightenment, the scientific revolution, and the age of reason. I am not even a westerner and even I could search this up.
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@nobleman9393 Central Europe? you mean the same Central Europe where Germanic tribes hail from? Where famous middle-age Christian-educated scientists and philosophers like Adam Reis, Regiomontanus, and Nicholas of Cusa? Where they actually began to assimilate into Roman culture? Eventually embraced Roman administration and societal frameworks and eventually stepped in to fill the vacuum left by western Rome after it's fall? Pretty sure much of western Rome was already becoming Christian and the same for the majority of the Germanic tribes and later Kingdoms that rose after Rome's fall. It weird how you are trying to pretend that Christianity played no role in all this.
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@nobleman9393 yes, Ancient Greece did have theories and values that the later Christian western Rome used. Why does that surprise you? Every great society builds on a previous one and improves on their flaws. Christian Europe also used Arabic numerals after discovering how better and more practical they were compared to Roman numerals. Ancient Greece also had terrible sociocultural values that hindered civic liberties, stifled scientific progress and economic development. They invented the first steam engine but their society and culture failed to kick-start an industrial revolution. Their version of democracy was literally minority elitist rule over the majority. It took Christianity coupled with Roman culture to refine and improve on what ancient Greece had.
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@nobleman9393 okay, we can both agree on this. Basically, yeah, life goes on regardless of the hurdles. Also, your observation on the pagans is true. Many simply assimilated into the new Christian built society or maintained their stance. At the end, it's just human nature. As new values, moral systems and structures arise, we either embrace them or modify them when we see how beneficial they are. Christianity was just part of this. If Christianity should cease to provide the necessary values needed for society, it will either fall to the wayside like much of paganism did or adapt and change like some paganism did.
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@Morjensful and what group helped propel the enlightenment age, scientific revolution and the age of reason? It was the church and Christians.
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@User-o46774 don't worry, friend. One great thing about Christianity is its ability to reform and adapt when necessary. Plus, once ingrained into a society culturally and socially, it never truly dies out line previous religions. The west will still remain Christian and rebound. The mere fact that liberalism, democracy etc, capitalism owes much to Christianity and the fact that the current secular age is breaking down, it's assured that a push for social correction will occur and Christianity will be there
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@ZhangK71 I have seen your sentiment echoed in many other comments and my response is the same I give them: Every religion, culture and value system in much of human history has always had to evolve and reform or risk dying out or becoming irrelevant or becoming subsumed by more aggressive ones. Ancient Hinduism used to practice ritualistic widow burnings and even enforced India's caste system. Now, they don't because it was simply unworkable in modern society. Saudi Arabia once banned women from driving and voting and is now reversing this due to mounting economic and social pressures. Turkey is a Muslim majority country that embraces some secularism, capitalism, women's suffrage and others aspects of modernity that traditional Islam forbids. Only a fool assumes any religion or culture will never change and remain absolutist. Christianity Is just the best at this and given how reform has been part of our faith since inception (Jesus saving an adulterous woman, caring for lepers and Samaritans, etc all against traditional Judaism) why do you see it as a weakness of ours? Christianity once supported slavery and banned usary, but several reforms changed this. Whereas religions that refuse to modernize or reform see their societies stagnate or face greater troubles.
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@ZhangK71 all religions and cultures and value systems claim objective morality but most change due to practical necessity, geographic, environmental and other factors. Christianity is no different. Even the freaking Chinese Communist party dropped the stupidity that was economic Communism when they realized how impractical it was. Why are you trying to use this as some gotcha when it's just natural?
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