Christianity

“”I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

— Jesus Christ, John 14:6

Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered around the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, who reintroduced morality and kindness to the Middle East, which was in a morally decaying era at the time. He is the largest religion in the world, with more than 2.38 billion followers.

Still, with how big Christianity got, the negative part of human nature would ultimately and inevitably twist Christianity into many different forms. Moderates believe in living according to the Ten Commandments along with the teachings of Jesus Christ, while radicals might go as far as crusading against non-Christians.

The core belief of Christianity is that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and the Bible is the holy word of God. Some other requirements include the belief in the Trinity and the Resurrection. You should follow these beliefs to determine whether a certain group is a "legit" denomination or not, as many new Christian groups are just a cult with a cross.

Christianity and his values became the foundation of Western civilization, ranging from laws and ethics to holidays and culture.

In Polcompball, Christianity is portrayed as Christian Theocracy. In Polandball, different denominations usually are represented by a country which the branch is most prevalent in, but as a whole, it is usually the Vatican.

History

Origin

Christianity started as a sect of Judaism, when Jesus Christ preached his ideas in Roman Judaea in the late 20s AD, and gained many disciples and followers. Jesus was hated by the Jewish leaders at the time because he was claiming to be the son of God, which was threatening their authority.

One of the 12 Apostles (Jesus's closest followers), Judas Iscariot, was bribed by the Jewish leaders with 30 pieces of silver to turn Jesus in to the authorities. Jesus was arrested and crucified in 30 or 33 AD under the excuse of creating divisions within the Roman Empire. The moment Jesus died on the cross, it is said that the temple curtains were torn in two, symbolizing that now everyone can turn to the Holy Spirit, not just Jews. Three days later people found that Jesus's tomb was empty, and that he had risen up from the dead. Jesus Christ then appeared to many people, for 40 days he stayed on earth and promised a second return.

Establishment

Jesus did not care for any religious structures, only caring about people following him and his way to salvation. When Jesus was alive, "Christianity" did not exist. Christianity was established by his followers. Jesus's disciples formed many early Christian communities. Although Christianity was illegal under Roman rule, the disciples of Jesus became apostles and evangelists after the ascension of Jesus Christ, and they spread the Christian faith to all corners of the empire and the known world where Christy remained an underground religion. Almost all of the 12 Apostles suffered excruciating deaths due to persecution. Due to the stressful nature of things at the time, Christian leaders needed a unified version of theology to prevent inner fighting and further troubles. So many Gospels and theologies were discarded.

Roman propaganda portrayed Christians as bloodthirsty devils, taking phrases out of context from Christian scriptures to fabricate rumors. Jesus had told his disciples, "eat my flesh and drink my blood" — a purely spiritual teaching — but anti-Christian propagandists twisted it to claim Christians ritually murdered and ate infants. The habit of Christians calling one another "brother" and "sister" was distorted into accusations of incest. When Christians spoke of belonging to "another kingdom", it was portrayed as disloyalty to Rome. Even their willingness to die for their faith was mocked by Emperor Marcus Aurelius (r. 161-180) as "a perverse desire for notoriety" rather than courage. Christians were burned alive, fed to lions, and suffered various other forms of cruel torture. Still, Jesus' teachings of compassion would endure, up until when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in 312 AD, and a year later the Edict of Milan would be passed, in which the persecution of Christians stopped (except for during the reign of Julian the Apostate, 361-363).

Ecumenical Councils

As Christianity emerged from the depths of the underground and into society, Constantine wanted a clear definition of Christianity. So, ecumenical councils were held, in which assemblies of bishops from the whole Christian church convened to discuss and settle matters of doctrine, liturgy, and church governance.

The First Council of Nicaea was held in 325, with the Nicene Creed developed. The creed clarified that Christianity is the worship of Jesus since he is God. However, Arius disagreed, saying Jesus was created by God, and that there was a time where Jesus was not there. He was accused of heresy and was kicked out. According to folklore, Arius was slapped by Santa Claus, however historically that likely didn't happen.

The First Council of Constantinople was convened in 381 to expand the Nicene Creed and address Macedonianism, which denied the full divinity of the Holy Spirit. The council states that the Holy Spirit is fully divine and proceeds from the Father, and is accepted by all churches that adhere to Christian orthodoxy.

The Council of Ephesus was held in 431 to address Nestorianism, which claimed that Christ existed as two separate persons, one human, one divine. The council affirmed that Christ is one person with two natures and declared Mary as Theotokos ("Mother of God"). This is accepted by Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and most historic Protestant traditions, but rejected by East Syriac.

The council of Chalcedon was assembled in 451 to address disputes over Christ's nature. The council formulated a doctrine called the "hypostatic union" where Christ's two natures are united under one hypostasis, the hypostasis of the Son. The two natures remain unmixed and are also unseparated; Jesus is fully God and fully man. This doctrine, Chalcedonian Christianity, is accepted by Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and most Protestant denominations, but rejected by Oriental Orthodoxy.

Schisms

A schism is a division within the Christian church, typically caused by disputes over doctrine, authority, or practice.

Due to a variety of factors including the split of the Roman Empire, the East rejecting to recognize the Bishop of Rome as the head of all churches and another being the filioque (which is the view that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son), the European Christian church was divided into two in 1054: Roman Catholics led by Rome who thrived in Western Europe, and Eastern Orthodox led by Constantinople who stayed in Eastern Europe. There is many argument in which of these two branches was the original Christianity.

During the Middle Ages, the growing corruption of the Catholic Church caused a major schism in Western Christianity that led to the division of Catholicism and the creation of various Protestant denominations, Protestant as in protesting against Catholic authority. Protestantism was formally declared by Martin Luther on 31 October 1517 when he nailed his 95 thesis on Catholicism's door. Catholicism and Protestantism became the two biggest branches of Christianity today, while Orthodoxy mainly settled in Russia and other Eastern European countries.

Beliefs

Christian beliefs have had a large influence and impact on society and culture. Here are some notable ideas of Christianity:

• Eternal life - The human conscience experience is eternal, will be in heaven if believer, will be suffering in hell if non-believer
• Full Divinity and Humanity of Jesus - Jesus is fully divine and human at the same time (many denominations).
• Holy Trinity - God with three forms that are not each other but are the same God.
  • God the Father - God of the Old Testament
  • God the Son - God of the New Testament
  • God the Holy Spirit - God of today
• Kingdom of God - Place established on in Heaven or on Earth after the events of Revelation
• Bible - Christianity's holy scripture, considered God's word.
• Resurrection - Jesus resurrected from the dead. Some denominations believe that humans will be resurrected from the dead for judgement (others believe humans never died)
• Salvation by Grace - God is graceful for allowing people go into heaven, as humans are sinful and originally destined for hell and is deserving of hell.
• Salvation by Faith - Faith is enough for someone to go to heaven, good deeds are not required.
• Second Coming of Christ - Jesus will come to Earth again sometime in the future, and when he does ruin will rain upon the world.
• Separation from God - Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, causing original sin in all humans.
• Sin and fall of humanity - Humanity became evil after Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

It has been over two thousand years since Christ's original teachings, and mortal humans injected their own interpretations into the canon little by little. Many meanings of Christ's words are misunderstood. Jesus didn't write the Bible himself, so it is also possible that Jesus's disciples (who wrote the Bible's section of Jesus's life) did not understand the true meaning of his teachings and words since Jesus is on a whole higher level of knowledge/enlightenment. One example is how the Bible described Jesus being "angry" at the pharisees, while in reality he was just being strict. Jesus's human disciples did not understand this and described him as angered.

Jesus Christ

Christianity revolves around the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah. Christians hold that Jesus was anointed and sent by God to save humanity from sin and eternal suffering in hell, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, believers can be reconciled with God and receive salvation and eternal life in heaven. All one needs to do to earn this is to accept and believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and is King. Christians believe that Jesus is both fully divine and fully human, experienced mortal life without sinning, plus defied death by rising from the dead. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. His ministry, including his teachings, miracles, and deeds, is well-documented in the gospels providing an example for Christians to follow.

The death and resurrection of Jesus are considered the most important events in Christian theology. His resurrection demonstrates his power over life and death, offering believers eternal life. Christian churches universally accept the New Testament account of Jesus' resurrection. The resurrection is a literal bodily event.

Trinity

Christianity believes in one God, which is the Holy Trinity, as three distinct persons. The Holy Trinity states that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all the same God, but they are not each other. Together, they are sometimes referred to as the Godhead. The Athanasian Creed summarizes this by affirming that each person is fully God, yet there is only one God. According to this doctrine, the Father is the unoriginated source, the Son is begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father; in Eastern Christianity this procession is understood to be from the Father alone, while in Western Christianity it is from the Father and the Son (the Filioque clause). In both views, this ultimately means that the Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son, emphasizing that all three share the same divine essence and are inseparable in being and action.

The Trinity is something that does not exist in our mortal world and is one of its kind, any comparison of it to something mortal would likely be a form of heresy. While some believe that God appeared differently in different times (as the Father in the Old Testament, the Son in the New Testament, and the Holy Spirit presently), they are seen as three persons of the same divine essence.

Bible

The Bible is a collection of books that Christians believe to be the word of God. They believe that God wrote these books through the hands of prophets and other important Christian figures. The numbers of books vary depending on the denomination of Christianity.

A common misconception is that the "verses" of the Bible were always there, while in reality the system was added later. This is why some Bible verses need additional context for full understanding.

Contrary to popular belief, the Old Testament's laws do not apply unless they are repeated in the New Testament, since Jesus came and renewed them. And 9 out of the 10 Commandments were repeated (the 4th commandment wasn't repeated).

Eschatology

Christian eschatology, or the study of the destiny of humans as revealed in the Bible, focuses on various endings: individual lives, ages, and the world itself. Key topics include the tribulation, death, the afterlife, the millennium, the rapture, the second coming of Jesus, resurrection, heaven, purgatory, and hell, among others. Christians anticipate Christ's return at the end of time, following a period of intense persecution known as the Great Tribulation. All deceased individuals will rise again for judgment, and Jesus will establish God's Kingdom as prophesied in scripture.

Regarding death and the afterlife, most Christians believe in divine judgment leading to either eternal life or damnation. Catholics, Orthodox, and many Protestants also believe in an individual judgment at the moment of death. Catholics additionally believe in purgatory, a state of purification for souls not fully cleansed from sin. Some heterodox Christians, like Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses, believe the soul is not inherently immortal and that the wicked will cease to exist after final judgment.

Salvation

Christianity teaches that salvation is a gift of grace from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ. This faith is expressed through repentance, the act of turning away from sin and committing to follow Jesus. Christians believe that living a life in accordance with God's will involves embodying the teachings of Jesus, such as loving one's neighbour, practicing forgiveness, and pursuing justice and peace. As such, Christianity values morals very much, always being kind to others (in theory at least).

Paul the Apostle, along with others of his time, believed that sacrifice could create new bonds, purity, and eternal life. He saw Jesus' death as the necessary sacrifice, making Gentiles who followed Christ heirs to Abraham's promise. They were considered children of God, no longer bound by worldly desires.

Modern Christian churches focus more on saving humanity from sin and death than on the inclusion of Jews and Gentiles in God's family. Eastern Orthodox theology sees Jesus' death as a ransom that restores the relationship between humanity and God, offering the possibility of becoming more like God. Catholic doctrine teaches that Jesus' death satisfies God's wrath provoked by human sinfulness, emphasizing the need for faithful living and baptism. In Protestant theology, Jesus' death is seen as paying the penalty for humanity's moral debt. Christians have different views on whether salvation is predestined by God. Reformed theology emphasizes grace, believing humans cannot save themselves, while others, like Catholics and Orthodox Christians, stress the importance of free will and faith in Jesus.

Creation

Christians believe that God made the world in six days (it depends on if you think it's literal or not). God created the light from the darkness on the first day, then he created two layers of waters - the atmospheric waters (sky) and the ocean waters on the second day, separated the land from the waters and made plants in the third, the Sun, Moon and the stars on the fourth, the flying and the swimming creatures on the fifth, land animals and the first human, Adam, on the sixth day, and rested on the seventh day.

Sins

Sins are unholy acts, such as stealing, murder and adultery. Christianity believes that since the first man Adam ate the forbidden fruit, man has been inherently sinful and deserving of eternal punishment in hell. This is known as " original sin". Notable sins which are groupings of major vices within the Christian teaching are known as the "Seven Deadly Sins" (less commonly known as "capital vices" or "cardinal sins"). These are:

• Pride - Also known as hubris or futility. It is the most original and most evil, plus is the origin of all other sins.
• Envy - Resentment of others' success or possessions.
• Greed - An excessive pursuit of wealth and material power, placing possessions above virtue or human worth.
• Lust - Disordered craving for sexual pleasure.
• Gluttony - Overindulgence and waste, seeking excess in food, comfort, or consumption beyond necessity.
• Wrath - Uncontrolled expression of anger, manifesting in cruelty, domination, and vengeance.
• Sloth - The refusal of spiritual effort, marked by indifference, apathy, and a pursuit of ease over purpose.

There is one sin in the Bible (more specifically the Gospels) that is mentioned as unforgivable. Many have interpreted it to be "insulting God", but it is more likely to be that have being shown all the glory of God, fully aware that Jesus is the son of God and Savior, but still insulting God. At this point, you are fully aware and is just asking for unforgivableness.

Christians on the Internet

The Bad

“”He's saying that one billion people are pedophiles.

— drugbuscelmare, in reaction to someone saying that over 2000 churches have pedophiles

So how are Christians represented on the internet, the largest medium of global communication since the 2000s? The picture isn't always positive. Jesus taught about kindness and tolerance (though not in the modern "woke" sense). Yet, much of that spirit is often missing from online discourse.

Take the issue of LGBTQ+. Even though the movement is sinful and degenerate, the manner of engagement is often needlessly harsh. It would be far more consistent with Christian teaching to speak with patience, rather than hostility. Likewise, some react to even modest criticism of Christianity (whether directed at churches or individuals) by lashing out.

There is also a tendency among certain online groups to disparage other religions or denominations, instead of disagreeing respectfully. Similarly, the glorification of crusaders as holy warriors overlooks the fact that the Bible explicitly prohibits murder.

Another common behavior is the passive-aggressive remark, "I prayed for God to forgive you", often said not with genuine concern, but to assert moral superiority. Such attitudes tend to alienate rather than persuade. That being said, these examples represent a vocal minority. The majority of Christians online and offline strive to live out their faith with kindness, humility, and traditional values.

The Spammers

There are people who think spamming Bible verses under YouTube comments that are completely irrelevant to the topic will make people convert.

Denominations

Christian denominations are distinct religious bodies within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worship style and, sometimes, a founder. Groups of denominations—often sharing broadly similar beliefs, practices, and historical ties—are sometimes known as "branches of Christianity". These branches differ in many ways, especially through differences in practices and belief.

The term is secular and neutral, generally used to denote any established Christian church. Unlike a sect or cult, a denomination is usually seen as part of the Christian religious mainstream. Most Christian denominations refer to themselves as churches, whereas some newer ones tend to interchangeably use the terms churches, assemblies, fellowships, etc. Divisions between one group and another are defined by authority and doctrine; issues such as the nature of Jesus, the authority of apostolic succession, biblical hermeneutics, theology, ecclesiology, eschatology, and papal primacy may separate one denomination from another.

Here is a list of Christian denominations below:

Denominations of Christiandom

Name	Theology	Authority	Soteriology	Year
Catholicism	Western, Thomistic, Augustinian	Scripture + Holy Tradition + Sacred Magisterium	Justification by grace through faith & works, infused righteousness	33
East Syriac Christianity	Nestorian	Scripture + Holy Tradition	Theosis, divine adoption	410
Oriental Orthodoxy	Miaphysite (Alexandrian, Syrian, Armenian traditions)	Scripture + Holy Tradition	Theosis, mystical participation in divine energies	451
Eastern Orthodoxy	Eastern, Patristic, Hesychastic	Scripture + Holy Tradition	Theosis (participation in divine life), synergism	1054
Lutheranism	Protestant, Augustinian, Sola Fide	Sola Scriptura, but Tradition valued	Justification by faith alone (sola fide), mystical union	1517
Anglicanism	Broad, mixes Catholic & Reformed	Scripture + Tradition	Justification by faith, but works as evidence	1534/1559
Calvinism	Reformed, Covenant Theology	Sola Scriptura	Predestination, forensic justification	1550s
Baptism	Evangelical, Reformed & Arminian variations	Sola Scriptura	Justification by faith alone, believer’s baptism	1609
Methodism	Wesleyan, Arminian	Sola Scriptura, but Tradition valued	Synergistic grace, prevenient grace	Mid-1700s
Mormonism	Restorationist, Henotheistic elements	Bible + Book of Mormon + Doctrines & Covenants	Deification (Exaltation), works play a role	1830
Seventh-Day Adventism	Evangelical, Arminian, Sabbatarian	Bible + Ellen White writings (as prophetic)	Conditional immortality, investigative judgment	1863
Jehovah's Witnesses	Restorationist, Arian-influenced	Bible (New World Translation)	Works-based salvation, anointed 144,000 rule with Christ	1870s
Pentecostalism	Charismatic, Arminian	Sola Scriptura	Justification by faith, emphasis on spiritual gifts	1901

Quotes

“”Over two thousand years ago, in the city of Nazareth, which was then a part of the ancient Roman Empire, people often ridiculed Jesus, who came from a carpenter's family, by saying, "Aren't you just the son of the carpenter Joseph? What truth do you know to teach us?" For three hundred years after Jesus was nailed to the cross, the tyrant kings and the Roman nobles ruthlessly tortured his disciples; they were also burned alive or fed to the lions. Jesus' disciples were depicted as demons that hated mankind and that killed infants to drink their blood and eat their flesh during their worshipping rituals. Now the ancient Roman Empire no longer exists, but for the past two thousand years, the universal principles of love and forbearance of Christianity have served as the foundation of Western civilization.

— Long Quan Mo Ke

Relationships

Children of God

• Jesusism - ¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
• Creationism - ¹In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
• Monotheism - ⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,
• Trinitarianism - ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• Altruism & Communitarianism - ³⁹Love your neighbor as yourself.
• Pacifism - ⁴and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
• Logocentrism - ¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• Christian Mysticism - ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
• Localism - ⁷The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
• Humanism - ²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Lost Sheep

• Theory of Truth - ⁴⁴You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
• Judaism - ¹Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. ²For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
• Esoteric Christianity & Christian Gnosticism - ²²For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
• Asceticism - ¹⁷But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
• Caesarism - You persecuted us, but then you converted.
• Chinese Folk Religion - You welcomed us and (almost) never persecuted us, but you never converted.

Worldly Sinners

• Polytheism - ³You shall have no other gods before me.
• Pharisaism - ¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
• Other Faiths - ⁶ Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
• Islam & Mormonism - ⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!
• Atheism - ¹The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good.
• Gnosticism - ³¹Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
• Idolatry - ²²Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
• Sophism - ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; ²⁰and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."
• Hedonism - ¹⁴The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
• Egoism - ²⁴No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
• Social Darwinism - ¹³You shall not murder.
• Satanism - ⁸Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
• Neroism - ¹⁴This calls for wisdom: let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
• Darwinism - ²⁴And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.
• Anarchism - ¹Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
• Queer Theory - ⁴"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'"
• Nietzscheanism - ¹⁰But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.
  • Could it be possible! This old saint has not heard in his forest that God is dead!
  • Now, death was never a problem for God. Last time that happened a tomb was left empty.
• Socialism - ¹⁷You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female slaves, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.
• Progressive Christianity - ²¹Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
• Enlightenment - ¹⁴And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
• Promortalism - ⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." ⁵⁵"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
• Rabbinic Judaism - ²²Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. ²³No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

How to draw

The Christian Cross

1. Draw a ball.
2. Fill it with blue.
3. Draw a red cross in the middle of the ball.
4. Add the eyes and you are done!

Color Name		HEX
	Blue	#002868
	Red	#BF0A30

Gallery

• 
  Concepts for Religion-Theocracy design differences

See Also

• Christian Theocracy
• Jesusism