Reply #33: Agreed [View All]

[Old Mouse]

The early philosophy of Christianity the Romans worried about was mercy and compassion, not the dogma the Church created a millennial later. But you are correct, one purpose of religion is to create a truth (or perceived truth...) greater than contemporary values. That's exactly why Constantine's endorsement, putting the two in alignment, redirected the nature of Christianity.

It's interesting to note that the Romans got to the point they didn't want to kill or torture the Christian's any more, but a Christian sect had evolved that believed only by experiencing Christ's torments could one enter heaven. Swearing fealty got watered down to just "wish the emperor good health" but these "wittinesses" refused even that easy out.

I think you're dead on about externalizing moral codes, but I suspect its more of an instinctive trigger than scholars first thought... thus the continued use of royal families and the obvious effect of presidential behavior on population segments.