2006-12-23 00:29:39 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
What sort of martyrs are you talking about? If you're speaking of those who died for the Christian faith, I'd recommend Foxe's Book of Martyrs and also The Golden Legend by Jacob Voraigne. One thing about the second book, though--some of it is pretty exaggerated and not everyone mentioned in it was necessarily a real person. However, it might give you some nuggets of information and certainly some insight into the medieval mind.
Now, as to your second question, I myself have an admiration for people who have that kind of courage, and early Christians had plenty of it. So did the martyrs of Foxe's time (he wrote of the sufferings of early English Portestants--some of it's pretty gory, so be warned)--which just reminded me of a third book, The Martyrs of England and Wales (this is an account of various Catholic martyrs of Elizabethan times and afterward).
I can certainly respect anyone who is so firmly rooted in and devoted to his or her religious beliefs that they'd pay the ultimate price for their convictions, so I'd say that they are worthy of praise. To be very honest, I don't know if I'd have that kind of courage or not, so I hope I never find myself in that situation.
Remember, too, that the people in these books (except for some of the accounts in Voraigne) normally didn't go about courting martyrdom, and generally didn't take bystanders along with them.
2006-12-23 00:57:37 · answer #1 · answered by Chrispy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Read Catholic Church History and History of Islam.
To praise martyrs in the context of these 2 great religion is like praising 2 great conflicting forces. Its either you made it whole or break it all.
If people can accept both beliefs then I may say yes. But to praise only the martyrs of any other side is a conflicting meaning of the word "praise" and its essence.
2006-12-24 07:02:15 · answer #2 · answered by janjan 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They deserved praise if they died for their beliefs. If they also took the lives of innocents, they are not martyrs; they are common criminals and traitors to humanity.
Consider Stephen the first Christian martyr. He was killed for talking about his belief. He did not try to hurt anyone else. Now consider Guy Fawke. He is not a martyr because he planned on killing a lot of people.
2006-12-23 00:34:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Fox's Book of Martyrs.
2006-12-23 00:32:36 · answer #4 · answered by samarz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check out Catholic online. They not only have a saints index, but links to books on saints and martyrs.
2006-12-23 00:38:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Foxe's book of martyr's.
2006-12-28 12:01:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dying for a cause is admirable if the casue is admirable but better to live
Peace
2006-12-28 22:52:08 · answer #7 · answered by Knobby Knobville 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋