Just as Hitler took leadership of Nazi Germany in its desperate time, the Christian church took leadership when the Roman Empire fell. And so the influence of Christianity was born, when an entire nation was forced to adhere. The church amassed enormous wealth while the rest of society languished in the Dark Ages. The Church ruled for around 500 years up until the turn of the first millennium. 500 years. That’s the period between 1506 and 2006. Imagine how much has changed since 1506 and how incredibly far we have reached to the outer limits of human technology, art and medicine. Just about everything we’ve come to know was born within 500 years. Just imagine how much further we would be in Western Society wasn’t forced to completely waste 500 years.

However, when this new period crept up, dramatic social changes forced the Christian church to changes its game play, if it wanted to stay in power. And of course, what does any great power do to increase nationalism and adherence to their own group? Racism. The Church rallied society against perceived “enemies”, instigating attacks upon Muslims, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and of course, Jews. These local crusades failed, forcing the Church to turn upon Europe itself. Seriously, if any American thinks that Muslims are bad now a days just for fighting for their religion, their “crusade” against Western Society just can’t hold a candle to the Christian Crusades. Right after the darkest times of Western Civilization, came the Crusades, the most brutal holy wars to erupt in human history. We’re taught in America to think of Muslims as terrorists. But really, Christianity is at the root of our problems with the Middle East. Bid Laden himself describes the American war on terrorism as a new Crusade against Islam.

The history lesson learned: Keep religion out of politics, otherwise religious conflict will pave its own pathway, and bloody massacre will follow through holy wars.

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