Lex Fridman · Is religion good or bad for human civilization? | Anthony Kaldellis and Lex Fridman

1. 1. Historian Anthony Kaldellis argues that religion was a net positive for the East Roman Empire, contributing to its success, but not without significant costs.
2. 2. At the empire's end, many Byzantines preferred Ottoman rule over Catholic union because the Turks would not force them to compromise their Orthodox faith.
3. 3. Kaldellis distinguishes between Roman identity, Orthodox Christianity, and Greek culture as three separate but overlapping elements in Byzantine society.
4. 4. Byzantines themselves could distinguish between being Roman and being Christian, as evidenced by their commemoration of martyrs killed by Roman emperors.
5. 5. Byzantine society offered individuals a range of identity options: they could be primarily Roman, primarily Christian, primarily Greek, or a combination, making it a unique 'laboratory' of cultural elements.
6. 6. It is impossible to isolate the impact of religion, taxation, or Greek culture on the empire's longevity because these elements are too deeply integrated.