Quote: r3x29yz4a said: Whether Constantine's conversion was legitimate or political is up for hisotrical debate.
It's from the horse's mouth. He saw the cross. He changed himself. He had no reason to go that far.
Quote: You can't deny the fact that by converting he picked up a large minority and helped stabilize the empire (and consolidated his power)and possibly prevented a civil war.
Yes I can. Christianity wouldn't have been his only/best option in that case. And there wasn't much of a "threat" of civil war at the time. Did he unite the continent and stabilize his position moreso (I say "moreso" because it wasn't very unstable in the first place)? Perhaps. But that can't be used as a sole indicator
Quote: And there were many elements of Pagan belief that he introduced into Christian mythology. Christmas is a redress of Winter Solstace.
No. It's not.
Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ with a trivial tree inserted into the holiday customs by commercialist culture. Nowhere in the Christian doctrine does it dictate that trees and presents are a why of celebrating Christmas (although technically, the giving and being generous part can be considered as such). Same thing goes for the Easter Bunny. Nowhere is it said by Christians that the Easter Bunny is some sort of holy symbol. The candy companies merely capitolized on a largely celebrated holiday like the fast food joints putting fish burgers on sale during lent.
