8. What strategy did Buddhist and Christian missionaries employ to spread their faith that Muslims didn't?
A. Conversion of kings and other elite figures
B. Use of artifacts
C. Forceful conversion of others
[D. Conversion of merchants]
I disagree.
Conversion of kings and other elite figures
To answer the question, we can compare the strategies employed by Buddhist and Christian missionaries with those of Muslims.
Both Buddhist and Christian missionaries prioritized the conversion of merchants, which is the correct answer (D). Here's how you can arrive at this answer:
1. Buddhists and Christians focused on converting merchants:
- Buddhist and Christian missionaries recognized the influence and mobility of merchants in ancient and medieval societies.
- By converting influential merchants, they believed that the message of their faith would reach a wider audience.
- These missionaries understood the economic and social networks of merchants, which allowed them to spread their faith more effectively.
2. Muslims may have used other strategies:
- While it is true that conversion of kings and other elite figures (A) was an effective strategy employed by both Buddhists and Christians, it is not unique to them.
- The use of artifacts (B) is not a distinctive strategy employed solely by Buddhist and Christian missionaries. Muslims also employed artifacts, such as the Quran and other religious objects, in their religious practices and spread their faith through them.
- Forceful conversion of others (C) was not a common strategy practiced by either Buddhists or Christians. Both these religions focused more on peaceful conversion and spreading their teachings through persuasion rather than coercion.
Therefore, based on the comparison of strategies, the correct answer is D, the conversion of merchants, as a strategy employed by Buddhist and Christian missionaries to spread their faith that Muslims didn't exclusively employ.