It might not be too different since Jesus Christ was a good Jew. Most of what he taught was not unique. "Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself" are a part of Jewish teachings as well.

Laura, 34
Lowell, MA

The European Pagan Confederation of Independent States would be locked intoa endless struggle for control southeastern Europe, ie Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo where pagans and Moslem's live side by side fearful of each other. They fight over what was the Roman empire. Of more significance was the migration of the Aryans from the Caucaus Mountains, 8000 years ago. They were nomadic herders, warriors. They had horses, chariots, and Bronze weapons. They invaded India, China, Northwestern Europe and Spain. They wiped out or subjugated peaceful farming and fishing cultures in Europe, Asia, and the Middleast. Christianity became a tool of Constantine to separate himself and his warriors from the people they were fighting. Its easier to kill someone who's praying to a different God. It is the warrior mentality that has led us to where we are now. Christianity was just a tool.

Cindy
Lowell, MA

So hard to think about what would be different if Christianity didn't really make it as a world religion. I suppose if it were the figure of Jesus of Nazareth some other Joe would have come along. I don't think it is the person rather the culture that sought for a far-reaching monotheistic world colonizing belief system. I guess we can be thankful that it all happened before Elivs's death. Can you imagine a world religion whose guiding theme was "Blue Suede Shoes?"

Felicia, 33
Somerville, MA

Who knows. Christianity is just a movement like anything else. People will gather together and pit themselves apart for ideas and beliefs. Something else would have come along.

Liz
Medford, MA

It's close to impossible for me to say. . I can hardly imagine the modern world without the emergence of Christianity as a signifigant influence. . Maybe we'd be more brutal or primitive. . .I have no way of even beginning to reasonably speculate.

mothmc, 35
Pensacola, FL

Tom

Ah, this is one of the questions I've been asking myself for a long time. Most of my research centers around the beginnings of a tiny Jewish offshoot cult called the Essenes, of which Jesus was a member. I'm sure the world would be different, but the only difference would be the figurehead of the organization. Religion is a man-made tool used to explain the mysteries of life, and the man they called Jesus (which wasn't a name at all, but a title) just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Kristin, 20
IA  USA

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