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Why did the Romans mistreat the Christians?

First of all, we have to recognize that the Romans did not mistreat Christians at all times and all places.  There were many times and places when Christians could get along fine in the Roman Empire.  However, it is true that Christians were persecuted at times.  When they were, it was because A) their religion did not permit them to engage in traditional Roman religious rituals and B) because they were trying to spread their...

First of all, we have to recognize that the Romans did not mistreat Christians at all times and all places.  There were many times and places when Christians could get along fine in the Roman Empire.  However, it is true that Christians were persecuted at times.  When they were, it was because A) their religion did not permit them to engage in traditional Roman religious rituals and B) because they were trying to spread their religion to other Romans.


The Roman Empire actually tolerated many religions.  The only thing was that they expected everyone of every religion to also make sacrifices to the Roman gods and to engage in Roman religious rituals.  They did not care if people worshipped other gods as long as they also did what the Roman gods wanted in terms of sacrifice and ritual.  They believed that their gods would get angry and harm Rome if its people did not participate in the right rituals.  Most religions were fine with this.  They believed in many gods and didn’t mind if their adherents participated in rituals for other gods.  The Christians, however, were different.  They refused to acknowledge any other gods but theirs and they refused to participate in rituals and sacrifices for the Roman gods.  Therefore, the Romans worried that the Christians would make the Roman gods angry and those gods would stop protecting and helping Rome.


Secondly, the Christians were trying to spread their religion.  This was not just a religion on the fringe of the empire, like Judaism (which also forbade its adherents to sacrifice to Roman gods).  Jews were not going around trying to convert Romans.  Instead, Christianity existed in the middle of the empire, and in all other parts as well.  Moreover, the Christians were trying to convert Romans to their faith.  Thus, the Christians were much more dangerous to Rome than the Jews ever were.  For these two reasons, Christians were persecuted at some times and places in the Roman Empire.


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