Doing away with religions

[Whitewings]

Which modern religions could plausibly be caused not to exist if the founder or founders' lives went differently? Judaism has no single founder as far as I know, so it's clearly not a candidate. Christianity and Buddhism both claim single founders, though the degree of importance those founders actually have to the religion's history is debated. Islam was definitely started by one man, as were Mormonism and the notional "religion" of Scientology. So, other than "the founder wasn't born," which is a bit too easy, how might these religions either never get started, not get off the ground, or just kind of... sputter out, becoming minor beliefs, held by a smallish community? For this purpose, we'll consider the various branches of Judaism to represent the upper size limit (Judaism accounts for 1.4% of the world's population that claims sort sort of religious belief).

 

[Oba]

Which modern religions could plausibly be caused not to exist if the founder or founders' lives went differently? Judaism has no single founder as far as I know, so it's clearly not a candidate. Christianity and Buddhism both claim single founders, though the degree of importance those founders actually have to the religion's history is debated. Islam was definitely started by one man, as were Mormonism and the notional "religion" of Scientology. So, other than "the founder wasn't born," which is a bit too easy, how might these religions either never get started, not get off the ground, or just kind of... sputter out, becoming minor beliefs, held by a smallish community? For this purpose, we'll consider the various branches of Judaism to represent the upper size limit (Judaism accounts for 1.4% of the world's population that claims sort sort of religious belief).

Islam could have easily been stopped by the Axumites conquering Mecca in the Year of the Elephant. Also, its size be significantly reduced if the Sassanids &/or Byzantines succeed in stopping the Arab armies.

Confucianism could be ruined by a more successful Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars.

And what makes you say Scientology isn't a religion? In any case, Scientology could simply never have caught on as a religion, so there's another faith that could be done away with. Similarly, if Brigham Young didn't get to Utah, the Mormons would probably have gone the way of the other 19th century offshoots of mainstream Christianity.

 

[Ravenclaw]

Kill Paul of Tarsus, or somehow keep him from having any influence.
IMO, he was the single most important man in the birth of Christianity as a distinct religion.

 

[SvoHljott]

Judaism can be done away with if you never have the Christian faith kick off, and then the Jewish people are forced to convert to a different religion. Most native faiths were wiped out (e.g. Roman Paganism, Slavic Paganism etc) and only exist today as revival sects, so it is possible (though harder, since it was more organised) to do it to Judaism.

Christianity can be gotten rid of if the Romans spare Jesus, and so he is never martyred.

Islam can be done away with if Christianity never comes into focus, or if Muhammad is captured and killed by the Meccans.

Sikhism won't exist if Islam doesn't exist.

Buddhism can be done away with if the Buddha never adopts the lifestyle he adopted and remains a prince.

 

[Tyr]

Plus the Israelites weren't exactly a widespread and large in numbers people. Lots of ethnic groups have been wiped out over the course of history, no reason they couldn't be one among the many.
You could also stop it developing into a rather unique religion with some early changes to keep it polytheist.

 

[SvoHljott]

Plus the Israelites weren't exactly a widespread and large in numbers people. Lots of ethnic groups have been wiped out over the course of history, no reason they couldn't be one among the many.
You could also stop it developing into a rather unique religion with some early changes to keep it polytheist.

Getting rid of Zoroaster will pretty much destroy monotheistic religion.

 

['Ezana]

The Baha'i also won't exist if Christianity or Islam is aborted. Rastafarianism won't exist if Italy conquers Ethiopia before the 1930s (when Rastafarianism took off). Haitian Voudou probably won't survive if the French retain control over the place.