Paul's Writings Underpin Western Thought

[Minimalist]

Christians composed a very small minority of the Roman populace at the time.  It's hard to see in what sense adopting Christianity would have meaningfully been any kind of political expedient.

For the same reason today in America we have a MINORITY of far right Christians holding the rest of America hostage. He saw something in the tide, not just the religion itself. Personal beliefs aside, it was still tactical.

There would have been no religious majority in the Empire.  There were too many scattered groups which was the reason for starting the Imperial Cult in the first place.  Mithraism - in the form of the cult of Sol Invictus - would have been predominant in the army and Constantine was obviously a devotee of that cult as well. 

http://www.biblicalartifacts.com/items/1...L-INVICTUS

[size=undefined]This bronze coin showing Sol, the sun god, was minted in small quantities between 313 and 326 AD by Saint Constantine (307-337 CE), the Great—the Roman Emperor known as the "Thirteenth Apostle" in the East.  [/size]

I have to run out now but when I get a moment I'll dig up Professor Candida Moss' discussion of the utility of the Imperial Cult and post it.  It will seem strangely modern given the Orange Fucktard's antics in the White House.