I think the martyrdom aspects of christianity actually helped its spread.

For sure, christianity was a new quality in the religious propaganda, both for its methods and content, as it was spefically aimed for poor and downtrodden and offered them hope. You just need give the only thing you have, your life, for the god, and the eternal reward will be yours.

Among the rich it was basically unknown for long* until it became so popular and threatening to stand first Diocletian, then Constantine and finally Julian before the choice what to do with it. Exact moment of change was even specified, it was when it spread in the military. Constantine might be ruthless monster but even he know not to stand between army and their religion (Julian apparently made that exact mistake and died because of it).

is to weaken that machine and thus enable others in the third world to throw off their shackles and weaken it further.

Too bad most of them end up empowering that machine and participate in it against the global south for over a century now.

*This is actually a fun bit, Suetonius, writting his famous book around 121 CE, who was definite rumormonger of upper crust of Roman society, had literally no idea who christians even were, despite at that time the religion was already pretty spread among the lowest strata of society.