Originally Posted by CDSmith

...those that hate Christianity

Those that "hate" Christianity very often don't understand Christianity in it's entirety. But that's not surprising since Christianity as a whole often acts very UNchristian-like. That faith, like pretty much every other kind, all too often serves to shoot itself in the foot, sometimes to the point of making non believers wish they would shoot themselves in the head.

As to Christianity ending slavery, I don't think it wise for it (Christianity as a whole) to go taking on too much credit for something as massive as that. However, Christian values on the other hand -- love they neighbor, basic human decency, Lord's prayer (do unto others as..)etc ... values and precepts that as it happens are shared by several other major religions (in theory, sadly not always in practice -- I'm looking at you, Ilsam)... would be the more likely thing to take the lion's share of the credit for taking down slavery. Values.

That's not to say that slavery has been defeated either. The fact is it exists today all over the world to varying degrees. If "Christianity" is truly being given (or taking?) credit then they've done a pretty piss-poor job of keeping it in check I'd say.