Reasons

Hypothetical Situation:
Say I were to start a religion. This religion would outwardly and directly challenge the Catholic faith. Maybe we would say that Catholics were wrong. They believed that they were doing good and following God when in fact, they were doing everything wrong and being decieved by Satan.

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I would be shot down in a heartbeat by many. I would most likely have very few followers, if any. And yet, back when Christianity was a new religion, it pulled through its struggles and came to be accepted. I'm not denying that it was challenged, but eventually, Christianity conquered. Something out of nothing.

It too was a religion that directly challenged the predominant religion of the time.

What is it that made Christianity so easy for people to drop everything and convert? Is it beacause it was easy to believe? What does Christianity have that my religion wouldn't?

Christians, what makes you believe?

Non-Christians, what appeals to you about your faith?

Everyone, what drew you to your faith in the first place and why have you stuck with it?

--Kit.

It depends, you may have people who don't have churches or trust them who may support you, or scholars might. The foundation is there for it, but weither or not it catches on depends on the people in that part of the country, etc.

Right, and I can see what your saying. But IMHO, in all likelihodd, the Christians would jump in and shoot me down swiftly.

--Kit.

Yes they would kits. Catholics are the most closed minded people I have ever met. They preach peace, and advocate acceptance of other religions and yet in the end they are just money mongering hypocrites.

I have to agree with you for the most part (no offence meant to anyone) but you can't make such a general statement about any group of human beings. There will always be the ones that fit the stereotype and the ones that don't. Keep that in mind. There are many Christians who are not like this.

--Kit.

Good mental exercise, kits.

You can ease the conversion process by introducing various problems.

1) Seize the supply of food, crops etc...
2) Control the trade routes..
3) Kill all first born...

I think people will not hesistate to choose under extreme circumstances...no matter how absurd the new religion. Desperation is the key.
Its difficult to do it now since we're globally interconnected. If you find a place remote enough you just might be able to succeed.

I'm interested in this new religion that would outwardly and directly challenge the Catholic faith! I am a person who believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and I believe in God of Abraham, I don't call myself a Christian but most would, but I also tend to disagree with a few of the Catholic beliefs and ways. However, I have some friends who are Catholic and they are absolutely wonderful people.

I think I "converted" as you say simply because I believe His word and I can feel the presence of God. I focus alot on what the bible states and trust in my own intuition per say or gut feel when it comes to the word. And when I doubt, generally I receive some kind of confirmation that removes my doubt completely.

I understand where your coming from, I'm in a similar boat. I'm not a Catholic, but my family was Espicopals for 11 years, until they divorced about 7 years ago. But that's besides the point, my mother's side isn't all that religious as you would think.

We don't go to church, I've never had communion, and I look at "dead/ancient religions", read fiction, etc. But I have found myself going against many churches emotionally. I can't trust them, after some experiences I had with my father and the preist, talking business, and showing their hypocritness as Masons and Christians(no offence to either group).

I would easily be joining you to, and probably doing the webs marketing Kits.

Originally posted by Kitsunegari
Say I were to start a religion. This religion would outwardly and directly challenge the Catholic faith. Maybe we would say that Catholics were wrong. They believed that they were doing good and following God when in fact, they were doing everything wrong and being decieved by Satan.

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I would be shot down in a heartbeat by many.

Martin Luther got away with it, why wouldn't you? Most protestants think the Catholic church is the servant of satan, and they're not getting killed (well, not anymore). In the west, the days of killing people for their religious beliefs are mostly over.

Originally posted by Kitsunegari
It too was a religion that directly challenged the predominant religion of the time.

What religion would that be, and in what way did Christianity challenge it?

I never said I would be killed. If I mentioned murder anywhere in there, forgive me for my mistake, but I don't believe I did.
Protestants are challenged. And the religion isn't particularly popular in general. I was speaking of something similar to the Gnostics.

Martin Luther King was fighting segregation and racial prejudice, religion, IMHO is a whole 'nother ball game. Some people's lives revolve around their faith.

Judaism was the religion I was speaking of, though its quite possible that I was incorrect in saying that it was the predominant religion of the time. If so, please excuse the mistake.

--Kit.

Originally posted by Kitsunegari
I never said I would be killed. If I mentioned murder anywhere in there, forgive me for my mistake, but I don't believe I did.
Protestants are challenged. And the religion isn't particularly popular in general. I was speaking of something similar to the Gnostics.

I took the "shot down" remark literally rather than as a figure of speech. But hey, this is a conspiracy site...

Originally posted by Kitsunegari
Martin Luther King was fighting segregation and racial prejudice, religion, IMHO is a whole 'nother ball game. Some people's lives revolve around their faith.

"Martin Luther", the German theologian who started the protestant movement, not "Martin Luther King".

Originally posted by Kitsunegari
Judaism was the religion I was speaking of, though its quite possible that I was incorrect in saying that it was the predominant religion of the time. If so, please excuse the mistake.

There was no predominant religion at the time, although the various Hellenistic myths dominated as a group. The Greco-Roman world accepted religious diversity as a given, and really could care less what your religion was as long as it posed no threat whatsoever (real or imagined) to Roman authority.

My best friend is a practicing catholic and she is the nicest most non-judgemental, loving person I know. I personally am against organized religion and she completly respects that. It's never nice to generalize.

Originally posted by spamandham
I took the "shot down" remark literally rather than as a figure of speech. But hey, this is a conspiracy site...

Completely understandable.

"Martin Luther", the German theologian who started the protestant movement, not "Martin Luther King".

Ah, forgive my mistake then. Sorry.



--Kit.