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ColesCountyDem

(6,944 posts)

47. Early Christians WERE persecuted, but largely by Pharisaic Jews.

Wed Feb 27, 2013, 11:30 AM

Feb 2013

As others point out, the Romans did persecute Christians, occasionally; that said, the vast majority of persecution occurred at the hands of Pharisaic Jews, who considered the early Christians as 'heretical Jews'.

Punishment of 'crimes' was placed in Roman civil authorities' hands, but the Romans often deferred to the local population regarding what constituted a 'crime' over and above Roman standards. Thus, if the local Pharisees got hot under the collar regarding their neighborhood heretics, the civil authorities could usually be persuaded to punish those heretics to some degree.

Read the Apostle Paul's letters, if you doubt the truth of the above: he made it quite clear that it was the Pharisees who raised a stink and caused him to be imprisoned.

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Were Early Christians Really Persecuted? Historian Reveals the Surprising Truth. [View all] xchrom Feb 2013 OP

The first minority group in history that wasn't persecuted? I don't think so. reformist2 Feb 2013 #1

Romans were well-known for tolerating religious diversity, weren't they? MNBrewer Feb 2013 #4

They seemed to like killing Jews, and Christians were considered a sub-sect of Judaism Recursion Feb 2013 #14

They liked killing MNBrewer Feb 2013 #23

Wasn't Saul/Paul a Jew who persecuted Christians? I am not very versed in Christian history any sunwyn Feb 2013 #83

Yes, that is what Saul/Paul did. n/t. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #90

"At least until 100 or so" A HERETIC I AM Feb 2013 #34

There were literally thousands of little sects in the first two centuries CE alcibiades_mystery Feb 2013 #43

Precisely. Well said. n/t A HERETIC I AM Feb 2013 #46

Actually they co-existed with Jewish religious leaders quite well Major Nikon Feb 2013 #48

Funny, Vespasian disagrees with you... Recursion Feb 2013 #49

So the Jews revolted 3 times for about a dozen years total Major Nikon Feb 2013 #51

Why don't you ask the druids? davidthegnome Feb 2013 #63

Yes, they were...this was about conquering a people, not a religion... joeybee12 Feb 2013 #69

"all was good and you could worship anything you wanted." midwest irish Feb 2013 #76

No joeybee12 Feb 2013 #77

Seriously midwest irish Feb 2013 #78

And they paved your streets with gold? davidthegnome Feb 2013 #79

The main reason the Romans tried to get rid of the Druids LibertyLover Feb 2013 #87

Early Christians WERE persecuted, but largely by Pharisaic Jews. ColesCountyDem Feb 2013 #47

I'd have to read it to believe it. nt riqster Feb 2013 #2

How better to sell a book than to create a controversy, especially one centered around.... OldDem2012 Feb 2013 #3

Sacred cow makes the tastiest burgers. MNBrewer Feb 2013 #5

yet another disassembling theory. zeemike Feb 2013 #26

As are there people that are willing to believe.... A HERETIC I AM Feb 2013 #36

Well true enough. zeemike Feb 2013 #60

I don't have a hard time believing this and I am a Christian...... Swede Atlanta Feb 2013 #6

I got the impression from the article MNBrewer Feb 2013 #24

This. Not sacrificing to the emperor was tantamount to treason. Ikonoklast Feb 2013 #84

There was a well attested persecution intaglio Feb 2013 #7

And then that little incident in Germany tavalon Feb 2013 #11

Deviation from the point intaglio Feb 2013 #81

Is it history or is it really a commentary on modern times? el_bryanto Feb 2013 #8

It doesn't sound like a comparison of the situation so much as a note on the way myths take root skygazer Feb 2013 #61

Far more Christians have suffered at the hands of other randr Feb 2013 #9

I agree--the wars of religion in Europe and Britain during the Renaissance period is proof enough SemperEadem Feb 2013 #12

hello - in Africa, Muslims are slaughtering Christians on a MUCH larger scale. Zax2me Feb 2013 #13

Not at all randr Feb 2013 #15

"and this somehow justifies other violence??" midwest irish Feb 2013 #80

Ancient Rome had a whopping 1 million people in the city limits. reformist2 Feb 2013 #17

OMG...Were slaves REALLY mistreated? Zax2me Feb 2013 #10

There were slaves of all races and religions that Romans came in contact with Fumesucker Feb 2013 #16

WOW!?!? SkyDaddy7 Feb 2013 #21

Agree! OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #37

Over the centuries Christianity has tended to be the oppressor, not the oppressee. Arugula Latte Feb 2013 #62

Wake up call for the in denial brigade Zax2me Feb 2013 #18

WND isn't welcome here deutsey Feb 2013 #22

Ever heard of the LRA? ET Awful Feb 2013 #42

Persecution doesn't need to be consistent and sustained to be persecution. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #19

Frankly, denial that atrocities were/are committed against Christians in the past and present OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #20

The point is that the Romans did it to everybody, including themselves Fumesucker Feb 2013 #53

That sounds like an interesting and illuminating book MotherPetrie Feb 2013 #25

Some American Christians believe they are somehow being persecuted in America mountain grammy Feb 2013 #27

"Persecution" doesn't necessarily mean in the form of violence. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #29

Are you kidding me? What kind of ridicule? I can't see that as persecution. mountain grammy Feb 2013 #30

If someone were teasing/ridiculing/taunting homosexuals, or atheists OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #33

I would say it was bullying, but the point is, I don't see that happening to Christians in America. mountain grammy Feb 2013 #39

I would respectfully disagree. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #44

How would anyone know that someone is a Christian? Fumesucker Feb 2013 #88

If that person states they are a Christian, or speaks Christian views. n/t. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #89

They DON'T? Marr Feb 2013 #72

Poor Poor Christians - with their 80% supermajority and stranglehold on all levels of power dmallind Feb 2013 #41

"80% supermajority?" OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #45

78.4% of Americans are Christian over 80% of Fed Government FreeState Feb 2013 #52

Thanks for the info. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #54

Population/electorate - government is far more than that as a result dmallind Feb 2013 #57

... Arugula Latte Feb 2013 #68

Ha ha ha! Arugula Latte Feb 2013 #67

Oh come on! Are your really gonna take the word of a mere eyewitness ? Bucky Feb 2013 #28

Christians are ALWAYS re-making their own reality in their own image / fantasy Demeter Feb 2013 #31

Not my specific expertise, but correctly understood this makes sense dmallind Feb 2013 #32

Thought-provoking article. trotsky Feb 2013 #35

sounds like a facinating book. blackspade Feb 2013 #38

Is it really any surprise to anyone that Christians invent mythologies of persecution? alcibiades_mystery Feb 2013 #40

Fox's "War on Christians" plays well to the poor, persecuted white Christians mountain grammy Feb 2013 #50

Plenty of Christians in America aren't white. n/t. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #56

I know. I'm referring to who Fox news appeals to with their phony, made up war on Christians. mountain grammy Feb 2013 #65

I don't think so. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #71

The whole concept of persecution against Christians in America is made up! That's my point. mountain grammy Feb 2013 #85

I disagree - from personal experience. N/t. OceanEcosystem Feb 2013 #86

Sorry, not good enough.. this old grammy needs facts. mountain grammy Feb 2013 #91

The way it was taught to me, it seems as if persecution is built into the very doctrine. 6000eliot Feb 2013 #55

They say The TRUTH shall set you free thetruthhurtsforsome Feb 2013 #58

This is neither surprising nor new. This is what we have been taught. knitter4democracy Feb 2013 #59

Thousands of historians writing over the last 2000 years +/- say otherwise. onehandle Feb 2013 #64

When some Christians attempt to preach to me the 'good word' Shadowflash Feb 2013 #66

I can easily believe that such persecution myths are a quirk of Christianity. Marr Feb 2013 #70

An interview with the author HarveyDarkey Feb 2013 #73

The Jews were never slaves, the Christians were never persecuted.... Taverner Feb 2013 #74

In other words, if it wasn't ordered by HQ, it couldn't happen and therefore didn't happen. Igel Feb 2013 #75

The Gross Stupidity Of Suggesting That Christians Were Not Persecuted Displays Such Ignorance KittyWampus Feb 2013 #82

Locking: This is a thread about Religion and History. MineralMan Feb 2013 #92