“The Myth of Persecution”: Early Christians weren’t persecuted
In the immediate aftermath of the Columbine High School massacre, a modern myth was born. A story went around that one of the two killers asked one of the victims, Cassie Bernall, if she believed in God. Bernall reportedly said Yes just before he shot her. Bernalls mother wrote a memoir, titled She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall, a tribute to her daughters courageous Christian faith. Then, just as the book was being published, a student who was hiding near Bernall told journalist Dave Cullen that the exchange never happened.
Although Candida Moss new book, The Myth of Persecution: How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom, is about the three centuries following the death of Jesus, she makes a point of citing this modern-day parallel. What Bernall truly said and did in the moments before her death absolutely matters, Moss asserts, if we are going to hold her up as a martyr. Yet misconceptions and misrepresentations can creep in so soon. The public can get the story wrong even in this highly mediated and thoroughly reported age and do so despite the presence among us of living eyewitnesses. So what, then, to make of the third-hand, heavily revised, agenda-laden and anachronistic accounts of Christianitys original martyrs? - http://www.salon.com/2013/02/24/the_myth_of_persecution_early_christians_werent_persecuted/
To me, this is more like an interesting historical footnote as opposed to an article of belief. Much of history, as we have come to know it from that era, is replete with minor errors here and there. This is just one of them.
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I guess being crucified upside down wasn't considered persecution? Or being put into the Colosseum to be eaten by lions and tigers wasn't really persecution...
HUH? Maybe I'm missing the point of the article. This poor person did not die a martyr for her faith, she was going to die anyway, no matter what she answered. I am very glad that she had the comfort of faith in her last moments-- if there was any comfort to be had...
Now someone is going to misinterpret my comment and think I'm being awful about something. I'm not trying to be-- I'm glad, in her moment of being perched on the edge of death, that she had faith to help her. I firmly believe that this poor person is in heaven, right now, and not worried about all this earthly garbage. But I do not believe that she was killed because she believed in God. I think she would have been killed no matter her answer or what lay within her heart.
And yes, I have an awful sinus headache and can barely think, anyway... So maybe I've misunderstood...
I think there are a lot of accounts and archaeological evidence supporting activities in the Colisseum. As well as historical accounts during the time of Caligula, Nero, et.al. I'm not saying that they limited their actions to Christians, but Christians were certainly included.
The article about the book did not deny that there were some but not to the extent that was reported. One would have to read the book for a completely objective look.
@Screaming for Vengeance
Interesting comment, considering Candida R. Moss (the author of the book) is a Theology professor at the University of Notre Dame. Also, aside from being a respected author and a researcher of Christian and Jewish Antiquities, she has never written or commented on Gays.
@Flame:
I don't have a dog in this hunt, but where does your hatred for Christians come from? Altar boy? Seriously, if you think that Christians even come close to muslims today, you need to do some learning!
Christians, TODAY, are the most persecuted religion in the world.
No chance Christianity is the most persecuted religion. They are however the most recognizable, and thus receive the most vocal opposition. Clearly, Judaism is still the most severely persecuted religion, even if it is more subtle in todays PC society. Muslims are right there as well. Very persecuted faith.
The thing about all that is there are valid reasons to impugn all those religions. They are all guilty of horrible atrocities and a definite lack of foresight as it pertains to the everchanging world. Plus the whole believing in fictional characters thing of course.
Her written message is not to be biased by her body. If she is available and interested you can see if she is willing to accept an offer for a date....but her writing stands all by itself for academic consideration.
The idea that people persecute each other using religion as an excuse is an established fact in my mind.
That such persecution goes against the peaceful principals of most Christian religions is also an established fact.
What can be done about it is..I don't know. Centuries of warfare make it clear this is an ongoing issue.
The impetus for the Romans if the early Christians were like their modern counterparts, was most likely the juncture at which they attempted to ram theirbeliefs down the throats of theRomans andenter thepolitical arena. Sound familiar?
Flameaway once again I agree with you. The Christians spend a lot of their time conjuring up racial hatred, anti gay, anti other religions.They ignore the fact the bible states life begins at first breath so terminating a fetus is not taking a life unless you don't believe the Bible.. They have accepted the Mormon church back into their fold even though the two belief systems are as different as night and day. The Bible never says a believer can become a god. The book of mormon does believe in members becoming a god, Mormons still practice pologomy Christians are searching for allies as their numbers dwindle asare other churches. So its not only their hatred of other races is pulling them down they loose the Hispanic vote the black vote and the vote from multi racial families.
Did the Christians get persucuted? Yes Christianshave persecuted far more people and killed far morethan they were persecuted or killed. They have cryed wolf far to much and its getting old.