Christianity is based on Judaism, that is for sure. How it originally developed and what it originally stood for are completely debatable because, as you mentioned, the Romans swallowed it up. Its a shame that it happened that way because for a mere philosophy or religion to motivate a gigantic, world-dominating superpower into squashing it says to me that the early Christians had a solid message.

How far into cognitive development would you say we have progressed? Considering the state of the world, I would say not very far