Religion in the Middle Ages

[Jericho]

So out of pure curiosity and the eagerness to see everyone's thoughts, I have a question to spark some interesting ideas.

During the Middle Eages, the only prominent religion was the Catholic Church. How do you think the government, common lifestyle, and anything during that time period would have been affected if the people were all some form of atheists?

I look forward to the responses.

[Polaris]

Considering that era, I would say you would have seen more political/international wars in Europe.

[Iroscato]

Considering that era, I would say you would have seen more political/international wars in Europe.

...Your argument being?

It would have almost certainly caused a reduction in warfare. No crusades, for a start. No oppression of scientific discovery. No witch-hunts, less downtrodden women. Less likely to think diseases are simply punishments from God, leading to a better effort and understanding of their causes.
Basically take the scenario and fast forward to 2015, and we'd probably be a good 600-800 years more advanced socially and technologically.

[Polaris]

That was how it was during the Dark Ages before the Church started to gain power and that's how it was after the Church started to lose influence.

[Iroscato]

Oh and the feudal system would be on much shakier ground, thanks to nobody believing kings had the 'divine right to rule'. This would automatically lead to more democratic forms of governance, as no one could really claim dominion over everyone because a deity said so.

[Minimalist]

The catholic church was the dominant religion in most of Europe.  On the edges, where it ran into Islam there was constant turmoil.  The pagan Vikings were also constantly attacking.
Meanwhile, there was plenty of low-level internecine fighting among xtian nobles. 

In fact, one reason for the Crusades was a desire by the church to re-direct that internal blood-letting to a more useful purpose.


A few more atheists might have helped but it would merely have given the catholics someone else to kill.  They were perfectly willing to kill heretics wherever they found them.

[Jericho]

I see your point Minimalist. But imagine what the world would be like today if religion was not a prominent factor of the Middle Ages. I like the points that Iroscato has made so far.

[Minimalist]

Just call me Min.  Easier to type.

Yeah...let's not forget the words of Arnaud Amaury at Carcassone:

Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius. ("Kill them all. For the Lord knows those that are His own.")

He was an abbot!

[Regina]

I don't think the world would be any better today if the middle ages didn't happen how they happened. Maybe we just wouldn't have the Republican-ite dregs of society who are trying to cling onto the good old times.

In fact because of it, we now know what totalitarianism with a fanatic "divine" face looks like. I'd like to think we've learned lessons from it. We can compare our society today to how it used to be, and we know better how to treat people because of it. We can be more careful about letting lunatics with un-checked power go unchallenged.

I see it almost as a necessary stage in the development of human civilisation, almost an experimental phase. It doesn't make it right and it's a shame for the people who lived during that time. However, at least we can use it today as a model of a society we definitely don't want to be living in.

[Polaris]

I don't think the world would be any better today if the middle ages didn't happen how they happened. Maybe we just wouldn't have the Republican-ite dregs of society who are trying to cling onto the good old times.

In fact because of it, we now know what totalitarianism with a fanatic "divine" face looks like. I'd like to think we've learned lessons from it. We can compare our society today to how it used to be, and we know better how to treat people because of it. We can be more careful about letting lunatics with un-checked power go unchallenged.

I see it almost as a necessary stage in the development of human civilisation, almost an experimental phase. It doesn't make it right and it's a shame for the people who lived during that time. However, at least we can use it today as a model of a society we definitely don't want to be living in.

It was better than the period 476 - 800 CE. I often cite the fact of the spread of Islam for being the driving force behind the resurgence of Christianity in Europe; it was a strong unifier.