www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Burning of Rome

I watched this program yesterday on PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_rome/ and was more than a little surprised what the program was trying to say: Christians were the ones who burned Rome.

That's right. Modern historians are trying to validate Nero's claims.

The website does not show the great depth the program went into this theory -- I turned it on, and saw about 20 minutes of it, and it was all on the theory the Christians created the fire to fulfill prophecies, and that Tacitus was wrong because it would have been too risky for Nero to burn down the city.

I have a feeling we will be seeing more of this soon. Strange how people forget that in the earliest era of the Church, Christians were pacifists...

I did not see the show. I wonder if this was the thesis of their entire show or did they explore several theories. If this was the thesis I wonder how they explained away the fact that all historians of that era imply or state that it was Nero who did it. Suetonius is just another example. I know that he was something of a rumor monger but no one but Nero blamed the Christians. The populous as is customary just went along.

Dan L

I only caught the last 20 mins or so of it, which was all based upon this theory. He tried to explain away Tacitus, and his main theory was that the Christians hated Rome (as per the Apocalypse) and so wanted to destroy it.

You know it is always easy to dismiss historians if one's theory doesn't agree with them. "They just made things up."

After reading the linked article I think your impression is accurate. Many historians make their living off of revisionism. In many cases the evidence is irrelavent.

Dan L

Anti-Christian is all the fashion with the left.

After the last Presidential election, my home town news paper ran weeks of anti-Christian editorials - and cartoons such as depicting the people of the South (heavy Bush area) as hulking gorillas with tiny pin heads and crusader crosses on their chests.

I sent in a letter to the editor (expecting it to be published) in complaint. They called me and said they refused to print my letter according to editorial guidelines. I then agreed that we can go through the wording and I would change some of the wording to fit editorial guidelines. But they wanted to delete any implication on my part that they had written and published anything anti-Christian (which of course was the meat of the letter).

It is now many years since I stopped getting the morning newspaper - and - I am much happier for it.

Main stream media prefers gay and anti-Christian - and like to portray father as a blithering bobbling idiot.

So much - said for our colleges and universities which churn out our children into this mold. So much said for our news and media which prefers anonymous sources more and more over accountability.

Christians over history have not all been spotless (witness the slaughter of pagans done by the bishops of the East) and the sake of Constantinople was pure booty from a place that was going to fall. No catholic church is sinless in its humanity. But - it is all on a par with anyone else.

I do - read some news. I browse google news each morning� and I notice the anti-Chritian items which attack Christianity though the ID debate. In essence - no one should allow ID into the schools because it is a Christian plot and conspiracy. That is the flavor of the news on it. What is sadder - is - it is just taken for granted that Christians are nuts!

Well.. I guess some of them are. When you look at the infighting and the Christian divisions and arguments over semantics - we surely must look nuts to the people we are supposed to shine the gospels forth to. Just who? would want to be a part of that non-sense? "Jesus is God! but anyone else who says that is a heritic except for me!" That paprt of the Chritian message - still exists in some quarters. Not very inviting.

And so our own lack in internal charity and even human understanding between the Chritian churches - invites - this sort of Anti-Chritian thing. We do not need to blame it on the devil... we do a fine job of it our own Christian selves.

If I did not know that God wanted me to be a Christian and Roman Catholic - I would complain on my way down "Do I have to be - a Christian??! Can I be a Buddist or even a Jews?? Must you put me in that chaos of Christian bickering and self rightousness??"

Just a muse. There are seldom any real points to my posts

-ray

"Of course!" if the Tiber overflows, it the grain crops fail. Blame it on the Christians! Away with the athiest.
Stephanos I

Now I saw a show on the History Channel that DID lay the blame on the burning of Rome on Nero because he wanted the property for himself.

Actually, anyting I hear or see on TV: History
Channel (A &E more E than A), PBS, etc. with more than a grain of salt.

Its like watching the "Flintsone's" for life in the paleolithic.

Dear Mike you said:

"Actually, anyting I hear or see on TV: History
Channel (A &E more E than A), PBS, etc. with more than a grain of salt.

Its like watching the "Flintsone's" for life in the paleolithic"

I say:

I have to agree with you. The spin never ceases to amaze me in these so called 'experts' they call in for verification over something or other when relating to Christianity.

Is it deliberate anti-christian propaganda, or do they really believe this is how most people think?

Zenovia

I watched a program (I think on the History Channel) about the DaVinci Code. I'm glad I watched it because I thought they did a fair (even) job with the subject. It provided me with some ammunition for when I am confronted by those who want to believe the worst about Christianity. I also thought two of the primary supporters of the DaVinci conspiracy that they showcased came accross as oportunistic and lacking in credibility.

I'm curious what the rest of you (those that saw it) think of that particular program.

That program was very balanced. I saw it too, and thought it did a good job of presenting facts, not wild speculations. The program also traced the origins of the grail legend to medieval, not apostolic times.