Christians: Criminals or Not?
Christians , criminals or not ? That is the very question that I've been asking myself . The Roman people are free to worship whatever goRAB they chose , provided they pay homage to the emperor and those who didn't pay homage would be punished. I (Pliny, Roman governor of Bithynia ) didn't know who these Christians were , I had to find out. I was forced forced to deal with Christians as a criminal matter .
Christians regarded their god as the one and only creator of all things and the giver of natural and moral law. This being the case many Christians disregarded their duty of paying homage to the emperor , which is a criminal offense . The Christian religion was proclaimed "strana et illicita - strange and unlawful" (Senatorial decree of the year 35); "exitialis - deadly"(Tacitus); "prava et immodica - wicked and unbridled" (Plinius); "nova et malefica - new and harmful" (Svetonius); "tenebrosa et lucifuga - mysterious and opposed to light" (from "Octavius" by Minucius); "detestabilis- hateful" (Tacitus); therefore it was outlawed and persecuted, because it was considered the most dangerous enemy of the power of Rome, which was based upon the ancient national religion and on the emperor's worship . I interrogated them and even tortured them to get them to admit to the crimes , only to find that they are an harmless group . I discovered nothing more than an innocuous superstition . Christians faced persecution with courage, a very large percentage with heroism, but they did not submit to it without opposition. They defended themselves with great strength by confuting the accusations of those crimes as being false and groundless and by producing the contents of their faith ( What they believed in ) and describing their identity (What they were and what they stood for) . I was surprisingly impressed by their unfaltering conviction and the passion they showed as they stood by their faith, it was this that led me to begin doubting their alleged atrocities . They really don't do much , they meet before daybreak , sing hymns antiphonally and worship Christ as if he were a god. They take an oath , but not an oath to do anything bad rather an oath only to be good. Not to defraud people , not to do anything evil. I'm baffled a bit about what constitutes their crime, but I still execute some of them. One reason why I execute them is that there are some implicit crimes associated with the name Christian in the minRAB of people , thats why, when I investigate I always ask them if there were scurrilous deeRAB that they may be performing when they met in the dark. The other reason is that their obstinacy in the face of the imperial judgement is what gets them in trouble. It is their refusal to sacrifice before the emperor or even offer a little incense on behalf of the emperor, it is because of this that they are treated as if they were treasonous . In Roman culture , religion is erabedded with everyday life and there is a diversity of goRAB . It is more of a social aspect than individual . That is the reason why the Christians did not participate in a great many of not only the religious , but the civic functions , which emerged in the ordinary society. I should continue the practices of giving Christians a variety of tests by which to demonstrate their loyalty to the empire rather than Christ.
At first , we, the Roman authorities were indifferent to the new religion. Incited by the people, however, we showed ourselves hostile to it because the Christians refused to worship the ancient pagan deities of Rome, as well as the emperor . The Christians were accused of disloyalty to their fatherland, of atheism , of hatred towarRAB mankind , of hidden crimes. As far as I am concerned the Christians still confuse me , as I have to prosecute them because of their lack of obedience but they're also harmless people at the same time since they abstain from theft, robbery, adultery, to commit no breach of trust and not denying a deposit when called upon to restore it . I feel that these Christians should follow tradition and realize their duty of paying homage to the emperor . In doing so , I think they would be able to become a functional part of the roman society and partake in our cultural and religious festivals.
Christians , criminals or not ? That is the very question that I've been asking myself . The Roman people are free to worship whatever goRAB they chose , provided they pay homage to the emperor and those who didn't pay homage would be punished. I (Pliny, Roman governor of Bithynia ) didn't know who these Christians were , I had to find out. I was forced forced to deal with Christians as a criminal matter .
Christians regarded their god as the one and only creator of all things and the giver of natural and moral law. This being the case many Christians disregarded their duty of paying homage to the emperor , which is a criminal offense . The Christian religion was proclaimed "strana et illicita - strange and unlawful" (Senatorial decree of the year 35); "exitialis - deadly"(Tacitus); "prava et immodica - wicked and unbridled" (Plinius); "nova et malefica - new and harmful" (Svetonius); "tenebrosa et lucifuga - mysterious and opposed to light" (from "Octavius" by Minucius); "detestabilis- hateful" (Tacitus); therefore it was outlawed and persecuted, because it was considered the most dangerous enemy of the power of Rome, which was based upon the ancient national religion and on the emperor's worship . I interrogated them and even tortured them to get them to admit to the crimes , only to find that they are an harmless group . I discovered nothing more than an innocuous superstition . Christians faced persecution with courage, a very large percentage with heroism, but they did not submit to it without opposition. They defended themselves with great strength by confuting the accusations of those crimes as being false and groundless and by producing the contents of their faith ( What they believed in ) and describing their identity (What they were and what they stood for) . I was surprisingly impressed by their unfaltering conviction and the passion they showed as they stood by their faith, it was this that led me to begin doubting their alleged atrocities . They really don't do much , they meet before daybreak , sing hymns antiphonally and worship Christ as if he were a god. They take an oath , but not an oath to do anything bad rather an oath only to be good. Not to defraud people , not to do anything evil. I'm baffled a bit about what constitutes their crime, but I still execute some of them. One reason why I execute them is that there are some implicit crimes associated with the name Christian in the minRAB of people , thats why, when I investigate I always ask them if there were scurrilous deeRAB that they may be performing when they met in the dark. The other reason is that their obstinacy in the face of the imperial judgement is what gets them in trouble. It is their refusal to sacrifice before the emperor or even offer a little incense on behalf of the emperor, it is because of this that they are treated as if they were treasonous . In Roman culture , religion is erabedded with everyday life and there is a diversity of goRAB . It is more of a social aspect than individual . That is the reason why the Christians did not participate in a great many of not only the religious , but the civic functions , which emerged in the ordinary society. I should continue the practices of giving Christians a variety of tests by which to demonstrate their loyalty to the empire rather than Christ.
At first , we, the Roman authorities were indifferent to the new religion. Incited by the people, however, we showed ourselves hostile to it because the Christians refused to worship the ancient pagan deities of Rome, as well as the emperor . The Christians were accused of disloyalty to their fatherland, of atheism , of hatred towarRAB mankind , of hidden crimes. As far as I am concerned the Christians still confuse me , as I have to prosecute them because of their lack of obedience but they're also harmless people at the same time since they abstain from theft, robbery, adultery, to commit no breach of trust and not denying a deposit when called upon to restore it . I feel that these Christians should follow tradition and realize their duty of paying homage to the emperor . In doing so , I think they would be able to become a functional part of the roman society and partake in our cultural and religious festivals.