Ottoman rule did not eradicate or even shrink Balkan Christianity

Evidence

If, as Croatian and Serbian religious leaders and academics claim, the Ottomans were constantly massacring Christians, how is it that such large groups of Catholics and Orthodox Christians not only survived, but in some cases grew and flourished under Ottoman rule? If, as today’s national myths would maintain, the Ottomans spent five hundred years busily eradicating all traces of Christianity, how is it that such a magnificent ancient heritage of Catholic and Orthodox Christianity-manuscripts, art, and architecture-survived Ottoman rule so well? If Islam is an inherently persecuting religion based on forced conversion, how is it that the Catholic and Orthodox populations not only maintained themselves for five centuries under Ottoman rule, but grew? — Michael A. Sells, The Bridge Betrayed, 131

Categorization

• SEED: The three rhetorical questions form a clean scaffolding for a debunking essay on nationalist Ottoman-depravity myths.
• XREF: connects to: Ottoman society was relatively tolerant toward Jews and Christians

Related

• Ottoman society was relatively tolerant toward Jews and Christians (similarity 0.80)
• Ottoman rule was relatively non-persecuting compared with Christian reconquests (similarity 0.80)