If Jesus had come to China

[Yorkshireman]

If Jesus had come to China, instead of the Middle East, would the West be Christian? It’s just that when you look at a map of the world what you believe seems mainly due to where you’re born. In the Far East unless you live in a country that was colonized for centuries (for example the Philippines by catholic Spain) you’re not likely to be brought up Christian.

Let’s face it. If you’re born in Saudi Arabia you’re going to be a Muslim. No doubt people will say that those in that part of the world have had a chance to hear the Word. But if it was that simple to hear the Word why isn’t there a more even spread of Christians around the world?

 

[mark_a]

If Jesus had come to China, instead of the Middle East, would the West be Christian? It’s just that when you look at a map of the world what you believe seems mainly due to where you’re born. In the Far East unless you live in a country that was colonized for centuries (for example the Philippines by catholic Spain) you’re not likely to be brought up Christian.

Let’s face it. If you’re born in Saudi Arabia you’re going to be a Muslim. No doubt people will say that those in that part of the world have had a chance to hear the Word. But if it was that simple to hear the Word why isn’t there a more even spread of Christians around the world?

Some of the ways religion is spread is troubling to any believer.

 

[Jennifer_G]

Eventually. Obviously, China would be Catholic, and probably Korea, Japan, and a few others. The question would be, would the tribes directly, or indirectly pushed out by China’s infuence (Huns, etc.) have converted to Christianity and brought it that way? Or, if not, it would leave Europe pagan, and it might’ve been brought over to eastern Europe by Ghengis Khan (who was open to other religions) if he were Christian by then. I doubt Islam would’ve spread as quickly, if even formed, since Judaism would have to be in China for Christianity to form, and Islam is an Abrahamic religion as well - maybe it would’ve spread through Tibet?. Although, I think Tibet might be the Orthodox of the east. You wouldn’t have had the heresies in the south (from the Vandals, Sassinids, etc.) to weaken the countries there (civil wars), either. Europe also ‘discovered’ the New World because they wanted to find a quicker route to China (didn’t want to go through Mongolian and Arabic lands, and didn’t want to sail around Africa, either). That may or may not have happened if Christianity were on the other side of the continent.