Religions take on a life of their own by contracting and
expanding, like a breathing organism.
Christianity, which seems to encompass a multitude of sub-religions, is
the one religion that seems to have infiltrated the entire globe.
How could a religion decimate so quickly when a new one
emerges? Within a century after
Muhammad’s death, “only a few Christian groups remained.” It seems inconceivable that so many
people converted so quickly. They
must have been really unhappy with Christianity – something was not going their
way.
Oh, here we go.
Let’s show our control over others by guaranteeing the right to practice
religion, largely in private, in return for payment of a special tax (p.
466). So the Muxlim rulers flexed
their muscle by driving Christians underground. Nice.
Motivation for endorsing a religion: It allows one to drink alcohol and eat
meat, including during worship.
The Mongols liked it!
Wow! Imagine
“twelve linked underground churches” in Ethiopia (p. 469). Literally, the churches were
underground. That is awesome!
People are not fools.
They are not going to be fooled by the pageantry and ostentation of an
emperor who is hoisted high above his peoples as though he is made from divine
blood. That is why Byzantium had
to focus on “collecting taxes, maintaining order, and suppressing revolts” (p.
470-1) because the people were on to their shenanigans.
I am not seeing the difference between a serf and
slave. Serfs were not personal
property, but were bound to their master’s estates as peasant laborers and owed
payments and services to the lord of the manor (p. 478). That is hardly any different from being
a slave, but then maybe it truly was a step up for them.
An anchoress – a woman who withdrew to a locked cell,
usually attached to a church, where she devoted herself to prayer and fasting”
(p. 484). That is what I want to
be when I grow up! I am an
anchoress, hear me roar!
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