Re: Heavens Gate
Walter Nusbaum (nusbaum@iglobal.net)
Tue, 1 Apr 1997 09:33:21 -0600
At 03:02 PM 4/1/97 GMT, you wrote:
>On Mon, 31 Mar 1997 19:31:38 -0500, "Michael Rohm"
><jim.morrison@montego.com> wrote:
>
>>> From: steven@bowness.demon.co.uk
>
>>> In message <01BC3D85.09853200@48.max1.dal.why.net>, Walter Nusbaum
>>> <walter@thechoicenet.com> writes
>
>>> >You've got it all wrong...would they have all died for their beliefs if
>>they all
>>> >knew it was a hoax?
>>>
>>> CARR
>>> How did the disciples die?
>>
>>Better question: Where is the actual proof that ANY of these disciples:
>>A). Existed?
>>B). Were killed?
>
>And here's an interesting turn. Eusebius, who brought us the current
>version of the gospels, both recanted christianity during the last
>persecution before Constantine make it the de facto state religion and
>did a flip flop on Arianism. Did he know something that he WASN'T
>willing to die for?
>
(Walt Sr. 4/1)
As a matter of fact, Constatine did not make xtianity the state religion, as
many people believe. He merely allowed it to "officially" co-exist with
Mithraism. It was not until 425 CE(I don't remember the emperor's name),
that xtianity was was made the *only* religion sanctioned by Rome, and
*that's* when the xtians began systematically to oppress believers in all
other cults. In other words, it took nearly four centuries after the death
of its founder before it was endorsed with the kind of political/state
power to allow it to spread without opposition from other beliefs.
Best wishes,
Walt Sr.