Analysis of the Destructive Aspects of Christianity (Part Three)
Distortion and Contradiction in the Religious History of Europe
Religious distortions and political authoritarianism throughout European history have led to the formation of conflicting views within society. Perverters of holy texts, oppressive rulers, corrupt popes, and fanatical religious leaders have contributed to societal duality by implementing policies that separate science from spirituality. As a result of this division, people have been forced to choose between identifying as a scientist or a believer.
Their distortion strategies have divided the people of Europe into three categories:
1. Ignorant Sufis: This group followed only the orders of the clergy without any critical thought or spiritual enlightenment, living in a state of compounded ignorance. During the Middle Ages, when Christianity expanded in Rome, they showcased their lack of reasoning and inconsistencies in behavior, leading many to fall prey to their ignorance.
2. Corrupt and Immoral Scholars: This category includes religious leaders such as popes and rabbis who were engaged in power struggles with the empires of their time, driven by worldliness and ambition. Despite their seemingly spiritual appearances, they were often disconnected from true spirituality and directly harmed innocent people.
3. Ordinary People as the Main Victims: This group, known as the common people, has been the primary victim of the ignorance perpetuated by worshipers and the oppression inflicted by rulers and scholars of Christianity and Judaism. Allama Sayed Abul Hassan Nadwi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains this situation: “The conquest of Christianity over the pagan Roman government is a significant event whose history should be carefully recorded and valued.” This great change began with the accession of Constantine in 306 ADS, who converted to Christianity. During this period, Christianity triumphed over paganism, acquiring vast territories and a considerable state influence previously unimagined.
On his path to the throne, Constantine utilized the dead bodies of Christian soldiers and the blood of those who supported him in his uprising. Thanks to these alliances, he handed over the government to the Christians, put the Romans under their command, and entrusted them with power.
The Damage Caused to Christianity During This Regime
Christianity may have won on the battlefield, but it suffered defeats in religious contests. Although it gained control over a large empire, it experienced significant religious damage. Roman pagans altered the teachings of Christ and his followers, with the most considerable distortions coming from Constantine, who was known as the champion and standard-bearer of Christianity.
John William Draper, an American philosopher, photographer, and chemist, in his famous work “The History of the Conflict between Science and Religion,” describes how polytheism and idolatry infiltrated Christianity. This infiltration was influenced by hypocrites who held important positions in the Roman state, presenting themselves as Christians without genuine religious convictions. Even Constantine, who had spent much of his life engaged in oppression, rarely adhered to the rules of the church until his death in 337 AD.
While Christians reached a level of power that enabled them to entrust the kingdom to Constantine, they could not completely eradicate paganism or uproot its traditions. The confrontation between the two resulted in a blend of elements from Christianity and paganism, creating a new religion where both were equally influential. At this juncture, Islam and Christianity diverged, as Islam, unlike Christianity, entirely eradicated its rival, paganism, and propagated its teachings in a pure and unadulterated form.
The emperor, who remained enslaved to worldly desires, sought to unite conflicting groups—Christianity and paganism—for his benefit. He believed that this amalgamation would cleanse Christianity of the remnants of paganism. However, this desire ultimately led to a Christianity that lacked the beauty and glory of the original teachings, failing to restore Rome’s declining spirit or instill a renewed, pious life.
This blending resulted in a form of monasticism that diverged from true spirituality and morality. William Edward, the Irish historian and theorist, notes in his influential eight-volume work “The Moral History of Europe” that the number of monks increased dramatically. Their influence grew, and they became particularly noted for their ascetic practices. Reports suggest that on the day of Passover, around fifty thousand monks gathered, with only ten thousand under the supervision of monk Sarabin. By the end of the 4th century, the number of hermits reached approximately twenty million.
The abuse of the body in pursuit of religious commands and moral perfection persisted as a paradigm for two centuries. Historians recount astonishing events from this era. The monk Makarius reportedly kept himself in the mud for six months, his exposed body being bitten by mosquitoes while he carried iron bars. His fellow monk, Eusebius, carried even more iron and lived in a shallow well for three years. Monk Yohanna stood on one leg for three years without sleeping, merely leaning against a rock when fatigued. Some monks eschewed clothing altogether, covering themselves only with their long hair, while others lived in caves or graves, consuming only plants and grass. They believed that maintaining physical purity contradicted spiritual purity, viewing washing as a sin. According to their beliefs, the purest and most pious individuals were those farthest removed from cleanliness.
One monk in Athens claimed that “Monk Anthony never accepted the sin of washing his feet during his life,” while monk Abraham sat on his face and feet for fifty years without letting water touch them. Eventually, a monk from Alexandria lamented, “For a long time, we considered washing our faces haram, but now we go to the bathroom.”
Monks roamed cities, abducting children from their mothers’ arms to raise them in monasticism, while the government failed to curtail their actions. The masses of common people, by endorsing this monastic group, encouraged young individuals to distance themselves from their families in favor of a monastic life.
The well-known monks of Christian history became adept at abducting and seizing individuals. It has been reported that upon seeing monk Ambrose, mothers would hide their children, as fathers and guardians lost control over their upbringing, ceding authority to monks and clergy.
