Was the arab peninsular once ruled by a christian kingdom?

[Something completely different]

Might be interesting for those who are interested in history and the history of religion.



This article is about a recent find in Yemen:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/worl...74048.html

[Tobie]

I'm skeptical about this one. If there was a large christian following at that time in arabia, I'm sure there'd be more than just one random relief as evidence.

[Polaris]

Given how weak and persecuted Christianity was before Constantine, I doubt that there was such a Christian empire. The people in Arabia, especially those who traded in frankincense (I forget what the civilization was called) borrowed heavily from different cultures they traded with such as the Greeks and the Romans. If such a depiction is Christian in origin, they may have just met Christians and liked their architecture.

[downbeatplumb]

I see this as reading much into not a lot.

At the time mohammed was supposed to live the restrictions on the art in Islam had not been fully resolved.

[The Grand Nudger]

Given how weak and persecuted Christianity was before Constantine, I doubt that there was such a Christian empire. The people in Arabia, especially those who traded in frankincense (I forget what the civilization was called) borrowed heavily from different cultures they traded with such as the Greeks and the Romans. If such a depiction is Christian in origin, they may have just met Christians and liked their architecture.

What architecture....lol?

[jonb]

When Mohamed paid respects to the passing funeral entourage of a christian, where do you think he was? Of course there where many christians all over the middle east to India. It is partly because of the consolidation of the various denominations into catholic, and orthodox that the histories of the other denominations, like Coptic, and followers of Thomas, have to a large part been forgotten.

[Napoléon]

Given how weak and persecuted Christianity was

[Minimalist]

Given how weak and persecuted Christianity was before Constantine, I doubt that there was such a Christian empire.

Largely later bullshit....but the type of bullshit that xtians love to repeat.

In his book on mohammed, Robert Spencer noted coins issued by the first "islamic" conquerors bearing crosses. The real persecution, done by orthodox xtians against so-called Heretics would have had the effect of driving them out of the Eastern Roman Empire and into areas not controlled by either Rome or Parthia. Such an area was Arabia.

[Polaris]

Given how weak and persecuted Christianity was

Are you laughing at your piss-poor Anglo education?

[Minimalist]

He seems to know a shitload more than you.

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/persecutions.html

The Roman Empire lasted more than a thousand years and persecuted Christians for fewer than twelve of them. The 'Christian Empire' also lasted more than a thousand years and persecuted non-Christians through all of them.

Until the early years of the 2nd century, Roman administrators were ignorant of the existence of the Christians. For a generation that followed they remained indifferent to this obscure 'Jewish' sect (and its many different factions) but, in time, this indifference gave way to contempt and then irritation.

The still marginal but growing numbers of Christians turned the misfortunes of the Roman world to their advantage. The radicals directed their energies towards frightened widows and abandoned children, towards the slave and criminal classes. Every defeat in battle, every pestilence and natural calamity, was seized upon as evidence of divine censure and retribution. With zeal and anticipation, the Christians predicted further ruin and desolation. Among the feckless peoples of the great cities, the fear of imminent judgement and the threat of eternal torment were spread like a contagion. Only by submission to Christ could the individual hope for salvation. "Babylon" would surely fall and most of humanity would perish.

Yet it was only when the empire was itself in peril that the Roman state acted violently against the enthusiasts of Christ, and only then because the obstinate prejudices of the zealots undermined desperate measures taken to defend Roman civilization.

Dare to learn, jesus-freak. Try not to be satisfied with the lies you have had shoved up your ass since birth.