So the early Christians who were thrown to the lions were idiots for not fighting back?

Question

According to those who claim Jesus condoned military service, why didn't the early Christians fight rather than allow themselves and their wives and daughters be thrown to the lions?

And for those who don't know, early Christians were required to make religious sacrifice to Caesar. If they refused they were to be thrown to the lions. They didn't sacrifice and they didn't fight back. According to some of you, Jesus condoned self-defense. How is it you believe this but the earliest Christians didn't?

Are there really this many idiots who assumed I meant 'fight the lions' rather than 'fight the romans'? Some have claimed jesus condoned self-defense. So where was that belief when the christians were being rounded up?

So better to go to the lions quietly than use the self-defence right some have dreamed up?

Benanen: Matt 5: 43-48

Sinyckel: How easily they sacrifice their loved ones, spouses and children, out of fear. If Jesus told them it is okay to fight back, why wouldn't they?

Check out my Matthew reference to see how wrong they are.

Fatima: "The Christians Conquered Rome without the shedding of blood" you're kidding, right? How many Christians were martyred?

Nelita: I appreciate your confidence in me ;-)

Answer 1

jesus also taught to turn the other cheek.

Answer 2

Times change, the sins remain the same. We no longer cut the hand off the thief or cut the penis from the rapist or throw Christian's to the lions for not making sacrifice. The sins are all the same.
Christian's are bound to serve their King, or in this case, their President. If the leaders cause for fight be unjust then the sin is not on the fighting Christian's hands but upon the one who sent them to fight. To be martyred for the early church was a great honor, today though I think I'd try and avoid being thrown to the lions and make a sacrifice to the Roman Gods. After all, Peter denied knowing Christ three times and the rest of the disciples ran away.

Answer 3

Sir, you are simply wrong. Confused. Study the history of the Moravians, the Donatists, and the Baptists throughout history. They have always fought in self defense. Explain to me what the options were for those Christians who had been captured and thrown into a cement pit with lions. Were these young girls and mothers and babies going to kill these starved jungle monsters with their bare hands? Get real. They looked to heaven and sang. They sang praises to the Savior who had saved them and would soon bring them to Glory, because death was as sure as night and day. They had run out of options. But face them on their turf, and expect a strong and vicious defense. God told them a man who didn't provide for his own was worse than an infidel. God has always taught that you look after your own.

Answer 4

Doesn't condone mean "look down upon"? Anyhow, once again someone is posting who is labeling all christains the same.

No I wouldn't fight back, I'm to turn the other cheek. HOWEVER, if I saw someone ELSE getting beat up/mugged/raped or whatever, it would be a sin if I didn't do anything.

"We must all fear evil men, but there is a greater evil we must fear, and that is the indifference of good men." - Boondock Saints

Answer 5

What makes you think they didnt fight back , thats like asking why a man heading to the electric chair doesnt start fighting back ,maybe there was more sick people that got off on watching a human get torn to shreds by a lion than there was decent Christian people like in todays world they call good bad and bad good ,

Answer 6

provided that the main important military interior the international on the time have been the persons tossing them in, and the variety of persons whe would have fought returned grow to be under what could have been required to diploma a coup, no - they have been outnumbered, under armed, untrained and no longer able to even GET weapons. Farming impliments and knives have been extraordinarily lots it. opposite to prevalent false impression, swords and spears with metallic heads have been difficult to return by ability of untill the later 1500's while greater advantageous production strategies got here approximately. The time to make a single sword could be a number of days. What have been they meant to arm themselves with?

Answer 7

hmm how exactly would you fight back against war veterans like the roman army? and where would you go if you did get out of the city agustus ruled the known world so there really wasnt anywhere to go. plus if you beleive in a reward in the afterlife woudl not dying for your cause get in like flynn. seems the better of two choices would be to just say no and die for the cause instant entrance into paradise.

Answer 8

Have you tried fighting a lion? Do you think you'd win?

D00d, you had a good point the first time you asked about scriptural interpretation, but you are going way overboard with this military service thing. Keep it up, and people might get the impression that you are obsessive. Or a moron.

Answer 9

Both are sins. Fighting cesar and his men was suicide andnot following jesus' comands is sinful so they chose to be murdured. You seem like the kind of person who challenges christianity just because you can. Try to get a life. If you serriously just wanted to know then try not to ask in such an accusing way

Answer 10

Fight back?????
A few hundred christians against the migtht of Rome.
If they had fought back physically, today, we wouldn't have known about Christianity; But it seems that there was some Spiritual fighting somewhere; The Christians Conquered Rome without the shedding of blood...think about it.

Answer 11

Should that practice ever be en vogue again, you can go in first and fight them off, I will be right behind you. They were willing to be martyrs for their beliefs. To some people then AND NOW belief in God & Christ was/is worth dying for.