Jerry Bentley once said, "Large scale conversion only took place when powerful political, social, or economic incentives encouraged it and even then it led universally to syncretism rather than outright adoption of a foreign cultural tradition". In other words, religion's only spread and grew as a result of a need for reform. Society will only convert when there are incentives and true reasons. The reason why Bentley says that syncretism occurred rather than outright adoption of a foreign cultural tradition was because when a reform was needed, the empire replaced the negative aspects and kept the positive to create a blend. Throughout history, after every empire began to decline or fall, constant chaos and disruption took place.…
