explain why Christians were persecuted at certain times in the roman empire... please help?

Question

hey everyone
i have to write a report explaining why christians were persecuted at certain times in the roman empire and have been having trouble finding helpful information.
in my report i have to include
* which roman emperor launched one of the first persecutions of christians
* reasons why christians were persecuted
* reasons why christians were seen as bad citizins
* describes some of the ways christians were put to death.
please help me if you can
~//much appreciated//~

Answer 1

Everyone was persecuted at certain times in the Roman Empire.

Answer 2

I can't believe some of these answers!

The reason Christians were a "threat" to the superstitious Pagans is because they knew idols made out of stone and wood weren't gods. The Pagans therefore thought they were atheists.

The Pagans thought the Emperor was a god, but the Christians were smarter than that. They refused to worship him, so this made them traitors in the eyes of the Pagans.

More Christians were killed by Pagans than Pagans that were killed by misguided Christians (who probably did such things becuase they were scared of them after 400 years of persecution). The 40,000 people killed in the witch hunt era weren't Pagans but Christians because Paganism had been abandoned , according to historians Ronald Hutton and R.H. Robbins.

Yes, the Christians had a different religion than Roman Pagans...a religion that didn't allow them to abandon unwanted or deformed children to die on the sides of hills the way Pagans did. The Christians recued these children, and the Pagans accused them of eating babies. Christians did not practice "widow burning" the way Pagans did.

Pagans were intolerant of other religions. Modern day Neopagans and atheists want to revise history. You can see that evident by some of the answers you've gotten.

The persecution of Christians has not stopped. You should also try http://www.persecution.com/

Christians are still being persecuted by Muslims, Hindus (Pagans) and Communists (Atheists).

Answer 3

Christians were persecuted because they would not worship the emperor, whom the Pagan Romans considered to be a god. The Pagans tortured them in many cruel ways, including using them as lion bait at the colluseum. Nero once had a dinner party where it was lit with Christians wrapped in carpets coated in pitch. The Christians were burned alive.

After Constantine legalized Christianity, Emperor Justinian later tried to take the Empire back to Paganism. He seized Church buildings and had many Christians put to death. He was puzzled because people didn't seem to want to return to Paganism. Because everyone like the acts of charity Christians did Justinian forced Pagans to do acts of charity, thinking this would work. He died in Persia and never named a successor. The Empire returned to Christianity, once again.

Fox's Book Of Martyr's is a good source, as is The 10 Volume History of The Christian Church. You can find them both here for free: http://www.ccel.org/

Answer 4

OK.... let's see what I can offer.

Christians were persecuted in the Roman empire because the Romans were primarily Pagans and did no accept Christianity as a religion. People who practiced Christianity were looked upon as dangerous to the Roman state because their beliefs did not align with Roman doctrine. Any person not in line with the Roman emperor was at risk, Christians being one group in a long lost of people the Roman empire saw in this light.

One Roman emperor that persecuted Christians was Emperor Nero. He was a particularly violent and unmerciful man who ruled through fear and torture. Some of the ways early Christians were put to death were burning at the stake, stoning (where they allow crowds to throw rocks at a person until they die) and crucifixion.

One other piece of the story that might help you out is the Roman emperor that first accepted Christianity and later became a Christian himself was Emperor Constantine. He ruled in about 300 AD and was responsible for fracturing the Roman empire in to two groups. He established a new capitol city, which he named Constantinople (what is now Instambul.)

Hope that helps!

Answer 5

Nero- The fifth emperor of Rome ( ruled A.D. 54 -68 ), known for his persecution of christians.
Many of Nero's cruelties are linked to the time of the great fire of Rome ( A.D. 64 ). Nero was accused of settimg fire to the city in order to devert attention from himself, but this has never been proven with certaninty. The christians, however , were made the scapegoats for this arson. Many of them possibly even Peter and paul, lost their lives.



Christians in general were hated by the public for their non-belief in the Roman gods, the making of idols was a huge business. As a mater of fact, a lot of the economy was kept going by the making of idols. Because of this and the Jews not wanting Jesus to take away from their good life, rumor was started that the last supper and all the love feast, were nothing more than cannibalism being practiced by christians. Of course the love feast were just pot-luck suppers to help feed the poor.

God be with you,
William M. Butler, Evangelist of St. Luke Ministries

Answer 6

It was because they were seen at a threat to the Roman Empire.
If you really need a detailed account of the ways that Christians have been persecuted check out Foxes Book of the Martyrs. As this goes into great lengths to explain it. From the first martyr Stephen to current times.

Here is a link to an online verison of it..
http://www.biblenet.net/library/foxesMartyrs/fox101.html

Answer 7

Christians were seen as bad citizens because the wouldn't praise the emperor.
They were persecuted by fellow Jews as early Christianity was just sect of Judaism.
See link for info on the emperors involved.

Answer 8

Ah, the cycle of persecution...

Romans persecute Jews

Jews AND Romans persecute Early Christian Church (approximately AD 70)

Rome becomes Christian...

Christians, angry at oppression on a near-global scale (being sacrificed by Druids in Europe, facing persecution in the Middle East and being eaten by lions for entertainment at dinner parties in Rome), blindly lash out at whoever gets in their way.

Although the early church was heavily persecuted (Jews stoned them, Romans fed them to lions at the arenas), we still managed to get through it all... Oh, and there was the Muslim oppressors in Spain.

And NOW look where we are... Ah-hahahahahaha, prepare 2 m33t y0ur d00m!!1!111

Answer 9

Well, for how much this helps, Christianity was obviously a deviation from the norm. The Romans had their own religion; these Christians were making trouble. Roman emperors believed that with a common religion, unity could be achieved. So add new religions and there was a greater risk of the empire falling apart. Also, Christians believed that God was their master instead of the normal Romans who believed that the emperor was the one in charge. Christians refused to bow down to the human ruler, and were thus seen as traitors to the empire. Just for the record, though, you should have done the research yourself. Laziness won't get you anywhere in the world. But if you're really binded with family problems or other school problems, I'm happy to help.

Answer 10

Christians are still persecuted today. Go to www.persecution.com
You can learn a little about how and why Christians are persecuted. For the same reason they persecuted Christians back then, they still do it today.