http://www.freeinfidel.com/2008/01/11/the-natural-decline-of-religion/ Atheism, civil liberties, privacy and other freedoms Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:19:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 http://www.freeinfidel.com/2008/01/11/the-natural-decline-of-religion/#comment-85 trish Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:27:13 +0000 http://www.freeinfidel.com/2008/01/11/the-natural-decline-of-religion/#comment-85 It strikes me that something similar happened in ancient Rome. The Romans weren't great believers in anything much, and I often wonder if it's because they were so well off materially. They lived in a structured, well-ordered state with (comparative to the time) a phenomenally high standard of living and high level of education. Women had more equality in Roman society than they were to attain for many centuries afterwards - a sign of a nation and culture that was comfortable with itself. When Christianity swept the Roman Empire, which it did from the East, it was considered by the Romans to be yet more wacky Orientalist nonsense - the religion really only got a foothold when the Empire was in decline. It strikes me that something similar happened in ancient Rome. The Romans weren’t great believers in anything much, and I often wonder if it’s because they were so well off materially. They lived in a structured, well-ordered state with (comparative to the time) a phenomenally high standard of living and high level of education. Women had more equality in Roman society than they were to attain for many centuries afterwards - a sign of a nation and culture that was comfortable with itself. When Christianity swept the Roman Empire, which it did from the East, it was considered by the Romans to be yet more wacky Orientalist nonsense - the religion really only got a foothold when the Empire was in decline.

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