this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2025
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Explanation: Early Roman interactions with Christianity were highly suspicious - noted is the persistent rumor that Christians were incestuous cannibals, which is why they always insisted on meeting in secret! What dangerous cultists!
Of course, in reality, the whole 'eating the body and drinking the blood of God in the form of man' is just a convoluted spiritual thing, not a confession to actual cannibalism, and likewise, calling each other 'brother' and 'sister' an expression of spiritual solidarity, not literally asserting that the boy you're canoodling with is your actual brother. This was recognized early on by Roman authorities like the governor Pliny the Younger and the Emperor Trajan, who noted that the only crime of the Christians was meeting in secret and being superstitious.
Nevertheless, the rumors never fully stopped - bizarre folks, these Christians! Can't trust 'em!
Romans were wise: Christians let much blood as soon as they get enough power. Even still Christianity continues to kill people in millions through destroying common sense, education and human self-esteem.
It's astounding, you read some 2nd century Christian apologetics addressed to Roman officials and the Emperor, and they claim, "We don't want anything but to live in peace with people who don't share our faith!"
Then the moment they get power in the 4th century, people get butchered in their homes for having wrongthink texts or being too pagan in public.
I prefer to think, memeing on Chr*stians aside, that it was more to do with a broader cultural change in the religion during the tumultuous Crisis of the 3rd Century than purely opportunism.
It was neither. Christianity is a hateful, judgemental piece of shit of a religion. Its effects throughout history are long and terrible, and the people defending it have NO IDEA how many sects and different beliefs there used to be.