History abundantly shows that the Christianity of the first few centuries was vigorously opposed and persecuted by the Roman Empire. Christianity was a threat to Roman culture and Roman power on a multitude of levels, the spiritual level being foremost. I hypothesize (although I don't have time to research this thoroughly) that the Faith was a significant threat to the Roman economy and its holders of concentrated wealth and economic power. Few things upset wealthy people more than any kind of threat to their wealth. (Try removing a food bowl from under the snout of a German shepherd and see what happens to you.)
The Scriptures contain abundant warnings, rebukes and condemnations of the very practices on which the modern global money economy rests. Yet “Christianity” is not persecuted in much of the First World – especially in the United States, which has a powerful evangelical voter base led by influential, wealthy men (and a few women). I suggest that the “Christianity” espoused by these people bears very little resemblance to the actual proto-Christianity outlined in the New Testament – the Faith which calls us to simple living, the renunciation of materialism and oppression, and the love of our neighbors, a love which is expressed in sharing our material possessions with our neighbors. The Faith outlined in the Good Book condemns the rape of the earth, the murder of indigenous peoples, and the oppression of the poor, yet these are the foundations on which modern industrial economic growth is built.
What if the Church in the First World began with unified voice to actually preach the Faith outlined in the Scriptures? What if we all (not just a few on the fringes) began to teach one another and outsiders to live simply and to stop being good consumers? What if the Church actually began to acknowledge the backstory behind the recent prosperity of the First World, and especially of the United States, and began to refuse to participate in that prosperity? I can't tell you everything that might happen, but I imagine that we who call ourselves Christians would be a lot less popular.
I leave you with a reading from the book of Acts. I read this about a month and a half ago. (Now I am in 2 Kings.) Enjoy.
About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen, whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth. You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands. Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”
When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel. When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him. Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had come together. They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people. But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash. For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another. But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.” When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.
– Acts 19:23-41, World English Bible (a public domain translation)
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