Is Christianity popular because it’s the easiest relgion?

Does it seem like looking back on the progression of religion that it’s gotten easier to be faithful? I don’t mean the belief in a diety, but in the actual requirements of the religion.

For example, look at the fundamental Jews living in Israel. They have to pray at that wall. Well, I assume they have to. I’ve seen lots of video, but never had it explained to me. And the list of laws and food restrictions seem pretty severe.

Or Islam where they have to pray at a certain time facing a certain direction every day.

And I’m sure there are more examples, but I’m not up on other religions enough to know.

Which brings us to Christianity. The Catholic church, who claims to be the original, requires works to get to Heaven and even if somebody doesn’t get there their relatives can perform some sort of task to help them along. Protestent Christianity makes it even easier – believe in Jesus and you’ll get to Heaven. You can be labeled a Christian by saying you believe in Jesus. You don’t even have to offer proof. Oh, sure you’ve got to go to church every now and then and maybe raise your hands during the service. But nothing you have to quantify.

Does it seem like people have been making religion easier as they go. Maybe they got tired of going to church every day so now it’s once a week but they’ll pray every night. Or they pray over major stuff. Or church only on Holidays.

And could that explain why Christianity is so popular? It seems to be the easiest of the major religions. Again, not easy as in the diety to believe in, but the actual requirements to be labeled a Christian.

Religious Vocabulary – Is it intentionally insulting?

I understand this is probably coming from human nature, but why is religious vocabulary almost always derogatory to the other side?

The most basic is how Christians refer to somebody who doesn’t share their faith. That person is ‘lost’. I’m not lost. I know exactly where I am. Or referring to an atheist or agnostic (or pretty much any non-Christian) as a heathen. While that does fit in with the definition of heathen, it is said more as an insult. It seems similar in use to the word nigger. Said for the impact of the word rather than the definition.

And Christians certainly aren’t unique in using terms that are offensive, either intentionally or accidentally. Browse around any atheist / agnostic web sites and you’ll come across the terms fundy, Jeebus, Babble, gawd, lawd, etc. These terms, like lost and heathen, seem to be used more to focus on the negatives of Christianity rather than conversation.