Despite the attacks against the faith, one powerful truth is undeniable: if Christ had never been born, nearly every facet of human life would be much more miserable than it is today. Arranged topically and presenting compelling, little-known historical facts, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? clearly demonstrates that an enormous array of benefits to humankind--from economics to art to government, science to civil liberties, morality to health, and beyond--would never have occurred had Jesus Christ not lived.Despite its humble origins, the Church has made more changes on earth for the good than any other movement or force in history. To get an overview of some of the positive contributions Christianity has made through the centuries, here are a few highlights: The elevation of the common man. High regard for human life. Benevolence and charity; the good Samaritan ethic. Higher standards of justice. Hospitals, which essentially began during the Middle Ages. Civil liberties. The elevation of women. The abolition of slavery, both in antiquity and in the more modern times. Modern science. Universities, which also began during the Middle Ages. In addition, most of the world’s greatest universities were started by Christians for Christian purposes. Literacy and education for the masses Capitalism and free enterprise. Representative government, particularly as it has been seen in the American experiment. The separation of political powers. The civilizing of many barbarian cultures. The codifying and setting to writing of many of the world’s languages. Greater development of art and music. The inspiration for the greatest works of art. The countless changed lives transformed from liabilities into assets to society because of the gospel. The eternal salvation of countless souls. The last one mentioned, the salvation of souls, is the primary goal of the spread of Christianity. All the other benefits listed are basically just by-products of what Christianity has often brought when applied to daily living. The rest of this book is devoted to demonstrating how all of these benefits to mankind have their origins in the Christian faith…” (excerpt from the first chapter)