Colonial powers focus on conversion to Christianity

[Byzantion]

Pretty much all of Africa south of the sahara that was colonized by europe. Philippines, East Timor, various regions outside of Hindu/Buddhist/Islamic influence.

Also South and Middle America

 

[galanx]

Exactly,. Those areas that didn't already have their own developed religion: the Big 5- Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and "Chinese " religion (Buddhism/Taoism/Confucianism mix.)

Later European colonialists often preferred to concentrats on business, rather than religion. The premier examples are the East India Company and the VOC, but also the Hudson's Bay Company discouraged missionaries.
(Not to mention the Foundation, which first set up a religion and then switched to pure trade.)

 

[galanx]

DP

 

[funnyhat]

As far as I am aware, a intense Christianization policy wouldn't change much except for this area of Africa (around the center of this circle). During the Colonial period, most of the ethnic groups were still pagan though there was Islamic influence. The Islamization of the area happened after colonization or during it. Today Mali is almost homogenously Muslim and Burkina Faso is about 60%. I am not implying that this could have been done humanely, (as much as one could call colonialism humane) this would be the equivalent of Charlemagne converting the Saxons to Christianity.
View attachment 687959

Are you sure of this? The Mali empire converted to Islam around the high Middle Ages.

 

[DocJamore]

Are you sure of this? The Mali empire converted to Islam around the high Middle Ages.

That is like saying the Philippines were also Muslim during or just after this time period. Or that Japan was Buddhist. The religion of the leader of a State doesn’t have to be the same as the local religion. State Religions are not a switch you flip on and the population goes “oh sure.” There are many steps involved. One of those steps is usually violence.

I already did say that Islam was already established in the region, but much of the history after the Mali collapsed, like Songhai, the Bamana Empire, and Fula Jihads, shows that it was more complicated than pagans going “we’re all Muslims now.”

 

[funnyhat]

That is like saying the Philippines were also Muslim during or just after this time period. Or that Japan was Buddhist. The religion of the leader of a State doesn’t have to be the same as the local religion. State Religions are not a switch you flip on and the population goes “oh sure.” There are many steps involved. One of those steps is usually violence.

I already did say that Islam was already established in the region, but much of the history after the Mali collapsed, like Songhai, the Bamana Empire, and Fula Jihads, shows that it was more complicated than pagans going “we’re all Muslims now.”

You are arguing against a straw man. I did not say it instantly became Muslim. Rather, I note that Mali had been a Muslim state for something like 700 years by the time it came under French rule. I would be very surprised if the population were still mostly pagan after that time.