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The Role of Religion in Rome
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I haven't got any knowledge on Roman empire religions but am very much interested with Mithraism. Was it really a military religion? I think not and it was just a coincidence that so many Roman soldiers adopt it. I read somewhere that it's somehow connected with Christianity due to several similarities such as virgin birth, 25 Dec, resurrection, etc. It's a rather mysterious religion, I guess.
About the persecution of Christians, I can't help remembering the movie titled Agora (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186830/) I watched a few weeks ago. In there, the Christians were oppressed at first, but when gained the upper hand, they turned to persecute other religions (old religion, Jews, etc), causing, among others, the destruction of the Serapeum (remnant of the great Alexandria library).
Mod
I know little about Mithraism myself. It was definitely tied to the military and you had to be a fighter to be inducted. Its spread and connection to Christianity is certainly believable as Roman soldiers were posted everywhere in the empire but very seldom in their own homeland.
Since early Christians often incorporated local rituals into Christian rites and since Mithraism was strongest as Christianity gained ascendancy, it makes sense that some of the Mithraic mysteries would show up in Christian rituals. There are also connections to Masonic practices.
I don't know if Agora has been released in the U.S. or Hong Kong yet. It's from Spain. It looks like my kind of movie.
All religions, Christians included, become oppressors when they gain the upper hand. This is especially true if they infiltrate and eventually control government by making their beliefs the "State Religion".
The current pressure to make Sharia Law the law of the land is the Muslim equivalent of what the Christians did in the later stages of the Roman Empire and into the Middle Ages.
In my opinion, it all boils down to the drive for power over others. Religion is a convenient vehicle for such power grabs as its followers must believe that theirs is the one true religion.
Freedom of religion was not even an acceptable idea until the 18th Century. Look at what the Puritans did in the 17th Century.
Even secularism in France after the revolution and Communism in Russia and China are "religious-like" in that their leaders forced a belief system on all under their control.
Makes one wonder what those who are pressing for a return to "Old Values" really want.
Mod
Both. Mithraism is what converted Roman soldiers brought back with them from campaigns in Persia; complete with virgin birth etc.(there are over 50 virgin-birth religions predating Christianity) It caught on. So, when Constantine made Christianity the nat'l faith,all he did was give it a same game, different name. Romans figured WTF, why not? Same paid holidays, same saints, just change the name no big deal. If not, the Christians who finally gained the upper hand would feed THEM to the lions, or worse.Christianity was actually invented by Paul; the word Christian or current concept of Christianity came many years after JC. The apostles who knew JC thought Paul was out of his friggin' mind. Therefore,Jesus nor the apostles were Christians. weird, huh?
Good point about Russia and China, usually considered atheists. not true. Maoism and Stalinism is about as theistically religious as you can get.
Question: If monotheism is better than polytheism, would it not stand to reason that atheism is better than both? (these are the thoughts that kept me out of the better schools)
j
Mod
Very enlightening. You would think the better schools would want the better minds but it has never been so.
What influence did religion have, for good or ill, in the Roman Imperial period?
How would you characterize Roman religion in the early years of the Empire?
Spiritual? Why?
Practical? Why?
Political? Why?
What were the origins of Rome's official religion?
Why were omens so important?
Why was Roman religion so confusing?
Why was sacrifice such an important part of Roman Religion?
Why was religion as practiced in the city of Rome different from how it was practiced in the country-side?
What was the importance of the Vestal Virgins?
What was the role and influence of cults, particularly Eastern cults in the Empire?
How were the Christians able to move from cult status to an influential religion?
Why were early Christians persecuted?
What happened to the old Roman religion when the Christians gained ascendancy and power?