Why did the Roman government begin persecuting Christians?

Answer 1

My theory is food, wheat.

Answer 2

Christians were never popular with Rome for the same reason the Jews were not; they did not worship Roman gods or the emporer. Lucian grouped "atheists and Christians" together. The first documented case of Roman persecution of Christians (outside of the New Testament) is during the reign of Nero and is documented by Tacitus. After a great fire destroyed much of the city, Nero blamed the Christians for the fire, although Tacitus reports that it was widely believed Nero set the fire himself and the accusation against the Christians was made to deflect suspicion from himself.

Answer 3

To appease the Jewish community. There were lots of trouble between the Roman government and the Jewish Religious sects, which erupted in civil war in 68 A.D. Prior to that, when Nero burned Rome, he blamed the Christians, which fueled a lot of persecutions. It wasn't until Emperor Constantine in 313 A.D. issued the Edict of Milan that the persecutions finally ended.

Answer 4

Because the movement to Christ was viewed as a dangerous thing. They suddenly had a King who was not the Roman leaders. They had a King whose presence was more powerful than anything the Romans could come up with. They had a King who told them things so very foreign to the Roman authorities that it scared the Hell out of some of them. Even some of the Roman soldiers were moving over to Christ.

Answer 5

Like Jesus, true Christians did not share the aspirations and beliefs of this world. (1 John 4:4-6) Moreover, the growth of Christianity “had been so rapid, and its success so marked, that a terrible collision [with the imperial power of Rome] was inevitable,” notes historian Edmond de Pressensé.

Jesus once applied to himself a prophetic psalm, saying: “They hated me without cause.” (John 15:25; Psalm 69:4) Before telling his disciples this, he had warned: “A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:20)

In testimony presented to the Jewish Sanhedrin shortly after Pentecost 33 C.E., the disciple Stephen was accused of “speaking blasphemous sayings against Moses and God.” Outrageous though the charges were, he was stoned to death. As a result, “great persecution arose against the congregation that was in Jerusalem,” and “all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.” (Acts 6:11, 13; 8:1) Many were imprisoned.

Some nine years after Stephen’s death, the Roman ruler Herod Agrippa I had the apostle James killed in order to curry favor with the Jews. (Acts 12:1-3) By that time, belief in Christ had spread to Rome. (Acts 2:10) In 64 C.E., much of that city was destroyed by fire. Horrendous persecution of Christians followed after Nero blamed them for the disaster in his effort to squelch rumors that he was responsible for the conflagration.

The Romans went along with the persecution because “the little Christian communities were troubling the pleasure-mad pagan world with their piety and their decency,” says historian Will Durant. The contrast between Christianity and the bloodletting of Roman gladiatorial contests could hardly have been greater. An opportunity for the Romans to get rid of the Christians and thus salve their own consciences was too good to miss.

As a world power, Rome seemed invincible. Romans believed that one reason for their military prowess was their worship of all deities. They therefore found it difficult to comprehend the exclusiveness of Christian monotheism and its rejection of all other gods, including worship of the emperor. It was not surprising that Rome saw Christianity as an influence undermining the very foundations of the empire.

A torrent of persecution descended upon Christians throughout the Roman world. Under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, their blood flowed even more freely. If they were Roman citizens, they died by the sword; if not, they were killed by wild beasts in the amphitheaters. Their crime? Simply being Christians who refused to compromise or to renounce their faith.

Answer 6

Because the Jews complained about them. Christianity was not a recognized religion until 325. There were many converts from Judaism to Christianity after Pentecost. The Jews were not happy about this.

Answer 7

Because the Romans wanted slaves to their glory, not a gods.

Once people started to fear the god of christianity, they no longer feared physical death... so death to christians.

A slave who has eyes for you is what is needed, not a slave with eyes for another boss.

not saying that every christain was a slave, but in the grand view of power relations between rulers and citizens, there is a leader, and slaves.

Answer 8

The same reason muslims and eventually our own goverment will persecute today's christians.

To them we pose a threat to their current way of thinking and operating.And they refuse to let go of the way they do things.

Matthew 16:25-For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Answer 9

Because the Jewish elders were jealous of Jesus especially Kiafis{that is not how you spell it but it sounds just like I spelled it}
He was the leader of the elders and he went to Rome to have them deal with him. I don't think Rome would have payed too much attention to Jesus if not for Kiafis.

Answer 10

They were afraid that the xians would look to an authority other than the romans.

Answer 11

they refused to worship false gods and apprve of the normalcy of immorality..... hey, looks like we're still doing it here in America....