I have a number of friends who sincerely believe in all of the myths about Dark Ages, and how Christianity hindered development of Europe, or how barbaric tribes destroyed everything the Roman Empire has build. How do I argue with this type of shit?
>pic not related
>>427330
You don't because it's true.
>/his/ please help me confirm my biases
>>427330
You don't. Anyone who commits to spouting crap they don't actually know about isn't worth the time.
If you really want to, just recommend him to watch the Civilization documentary series, the first two episodes do a good job addressing that or refer him to the wikipedia page on science in the middle ages
And after that, get better friends
>>427330
you tell them to go read a book about the subject and stop spouting ignorant shit
>>427344
>>427330
Study the history of monasticism and learn how Irish and English monks literally preserved Europe's intellectual heritage from being destroyed by rampaging gangs of feral snowniggers.
>>427330
>How do I argue with this type of shit?
You don't you shill catholicism to those heretics until they recognise that the germanic conquest and the destruction of roman civilisation was a progress on a different metafagual level. I see that "catholicism and the goths did good to europe" shilling everyday on german television. it is just primitive propaganda for the idiots to give some value to theit chimping out and bringing europe to the same situation the arabs are going to bring.
Remind him that Theodosious' decree outlawing all faiths but Nicene Christianity usherd in a new era of unity. Imagine if in this critical period, instead of repelling invaders and usurpers, Christians were killing each other over weather Jesus is made of the same substance as God, or merely similar substance. Also remind him that Europe experienced unparalleled prosperity, and the rise of serfdom ended the practice of slavery.
>>427330
>my friends keep saying things that i think aren't true so please can someone tell me why these things aren't true
>>427330
Do pic related while screaming facts. They might listen.
>>427394
That was an unexpectedly interesting screencap and I may be shopping for a book soon.
Saved and thanks.
>>427330
how do you argue? find out for yourself and stop trying to look to others of affirmation, ignorant ass
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_technology
>>427330
Impossible to convey without representations of monks saving civilization in media, and chaste quiet people devoting their lives to scholarship isn't a very sexy subject for a movie.
The Dark Ages happened in Western Europe starting around 400 AD (though Rome was already in decline before that), or 550 AD in Italy, and ending around 800 AD with the Carolingian Renaissance. There was a general collapse of social order, urbanization, cultural and technological decline, decreased literacy, political fragmentation, infrastructural failure, and economic collapse. It wasn't all encompassing and there were still a few functioning kingdoms, cities, and cultural centers. It did not affect eastern Europe, where Byzantium continued to flourish, or the Middle East which flourished under the Umayyads.
They were caused by the collapse of the Roman Empire and barbarian invasions, not Christianity. In fact it was the Christian monasteries and especially the influence of Byzantium that actually revived the West.
The Dark ages happened
There was no music until the 16th century, because no one wrote any
>>427394
Were was atheism during the Christian Middle Ages? Plenty of atheist thinkers existed in antiquity, even if they weren't particularly liked.
>>427540
>the rise of serfdom ended the practice of slavery
There wasn't much difference.
>>429292
The existence of God was more commonly held to be self-evident than today. Deists were basically the equivalent of modern atheists. I'm guessing non believers weren't outspoken because antiquity was more polytheistic, so the idea of denying certain gods was less strange to the ancients, whereas monotheism is much more absolute.
>>427399
If he wants a new prayer book so badly, why doesn't he just scrape one of those roman texts on physics and math clean and use that?
http://archimedespalimpsest.org/about/history/
