the funny part to me is how borne out of state persecution Christianity was. there's a letter from an early church leader (terlutian) to a roman governor that says something like (paraphrasing) : "you keep trying to mow us down...but every time you do our blood fertlizes the soil for more believers. the world finds we are true in faith and that has an opposite effect from the one you intended. so keep up the good work." just strikes me as funny, as one of this faith, that we'd want to equate the US government with our faith...that we blur the lines between Christ and the government. seems to be a big idea in really conservative thought in the church. and it makes fellow believers around the world see America as the real ground for mission work to strengthen the church.
Wow, Max. I read that, and the consequences of Iraq popped into my head. Just substitute Christians with Iraqi insurgents, and it's freaky. Sorry for getting off-track (I guess it's off-track). Carry on. Keep D&D Civil!!
interesting point, deck. however, the early church wasn't responding with force. tertullian was saying that it was not the force from the outside that was growing the church, but the world's witness of how the early church was willing to die for their faith. contrast that with insurgents or terrorists around the world who respond with force against civilians, and i think you'll see a brighter contrast. yes, rim...i was spelling his name wrong...tertullian is right. i can track down the quote..it's in a book i'm reading right now. i'll try to remember and look back to see what other context it gives for the letter.
