We should all realize that it was the Renaissance and the enlightenment
that took the power of the state out of the power of the church. Before
then, Christianity had a face much like today's radical Islam. It
fought freedom and democracy with rage and intolerance. Millions were
killed based on faith alone. Before the church lost it power, it was as
violent as today's radical Islam.
But before the dark ages, this is how Christianity rose to power. Aside
from the intolerance of the church councils and the imperial decrees,
there was continual destruction by wild Christian mobs. In the early
fifth century mobs of hundreds of monks killed Jews and pagans and
burned down their buildings. Under Bishops Theophilus and Cyril there
was great violence which included the murder of the famous NeoPlatonist
philosopher and mathematician Hypatia. She was dragged from her cart and
her flesh was ripped from her bones with sharpened Abalone shells (which
many men of the time shaved with) while she was alive.
A fascinating and thorough examination of church canon and imperial
decrees from the 4th-6th centuries can be found at
http://community-2.webtv.net/tales_of_the_western_world/RL but here is a
very enlightening timeline of temple destruction and religious violence
by Christians.
PAGAN TEMPLE DESTRUCTION BY CHRISTIANS IN THE EMPIRE
From Vlasis Rassias' book "DEMOLISH THEM..", published in Greek, Athens
1994, Diipetes Editions, ISBN 960-85311-3-6)
314=A0=A0Immediately after its full legalisation, the Christian Church
attacks the Gentiles: The Council of Ancyra denounces the worship of
Goddess Artemis.
324=A0=A0Emperor Constantine declares Christianism as the only official
Religion of the Roman Empire. In Dydima, Minor Asia, he sacks the Oracle
of the God Apollo and tortures the pagan priests to death. He also
evicts all the Gentiles from Mt. Athos and destroys all the local
Hellenic Temples.
326=A0=A0Emperor Constantine, following the instructions of his mother
Helen, destroys the Temple of the God Asclepius in Aigeai of Cilicia and
many Temples of the Goddess Aphrodite in Jerusalem, Aphaca, Mambre,
Phoenice, Baalbek, etc.
330=A0=A0Emperor Constantine steals the treasures and statues of the
pagan Temples of Greece to decorate Nova Roma (Constantinople), the new
capital of his Empire.
335=A0=A0Emperor Constantine sacks many pagan Temples of Minor Asia and
Palestine and orders the execution by crucifixion of "all magicians and
soothsayers". Martyrdom of the neoplatonist philosopher Sopatrus.
341=A0=A0Emperor Flavius Julius Constantius persecutes "all the
soothsayers and the Hellenists". Many Gentile Hellenes are either
imprisoned or executed.
346=A0=A0New large-scale persecutions against the Gentiles in
Constantinople. Banishment of the famous orator Libanius accused as...
"magician".
353=A0=A0An edict of Constantius orders the death penalty for all kind
of worship through sacrifices and "idols".
354=A0=A0A new edict orders the closing of all the pagan Temples. Some
of them are profaned and turned into brothels or gambling rooms.
Executions of pagan priests.
354=A0=A0A new edict of Constantius orders the destruction of the pagan
Temples and the execution of all "idolaters". First burning of libraries
in various cities of the Empire. The first lime factories are being
organised next to the closed pagan Temples. A major part of the holy
architecture of the Gentiles turns to lime.
357=A0=A0Constantius outlaws all methods of Divination (Astrology not
excluded).
359=A0=A0In Skythopolis, Syria, the Christians organise the first death
camps for the torture and executions of the arrested Gentiles from all
around the Empire.
361 to 363=A0=A0Religious tolerance and restoration of the pagan cults
declared in Constantinople (11th December 361) by the pagan Emperor
Flavius Claudius Julianus.
363=A0=A0Assassination of Emperor Julianus (26th June).
364=A0=A0Emperor Flavius Jovianus orders the burning of the Library of
Antioch.
364=A0=A0An Imperial edict (11th September) orders the death penalty for
all Gentiles that worship their ancestral Gods or practice Divination
("sileat omnibus perpetuo divinandi curiositas"). Three different edicts
(4th February, 9th September, 23rd December) order the confiscation of
all properties of the pagan Temples and the death penalty for
participation in pagan rituals, even private ones.
365=A0=A0An Imperial edict (17th November) forbids the Gentile officers
of the army to command Christian soldiers.
370=A0=A0Emperor Valens orders a tremendous persecution of the Gentiles
in all the Eastern Empire. In Antioch, among many other Gentiles, the
ex-governor Fidustius and the priests Hilarius and Patricius are
executed. Tons of books are burnt in the squares of the cities of the
Eastern Empire. All the friends of Julianus are persecuted (Orebasius,
Sallustius, Pegasius etc.), the philosopher Simonides is burned alive
and the philosopher Maximus is decapitated.
372=A0=A0Emperor Valens orders the governor of Minor Asia to exterminate
all the Hellenes and all documents of their wisdom.
373=A0=A0New prohibition of all Divination methods. The term "pagan"
(pagani, villagers) is introduced by the Christians to lessen the
Gentiles.
375=A0=A0The Temple of God Asclepius in Epidaurus, Greece, is closed
down by the Christians.
380=A0=A0On 27th February, Christianism becomes the exclusive Religion
of the Roman Empire by an edict of Emperor Flavius Theodosius, requiring
that "all the various nations which are subject to our clemency and
moderation should continue in the profession of that religion which was
delivered to the Romans by the divine Apostle Peter". The non-Christians
are called "loathsome, heretics, stupid and blind". In another edict
Theodosius calls "insane" those that do not believe to the Christian God
and outlaws all disagreements with the Church dogmas. Ambrosius, bishop
of Milan, starts destroying all the pagan Temples of his area. The
Christian priests lead the hungry mob against the Temple of Goddess
Demeter in Eleusis and try to lynch the hierophants Nestorius and
Priskus. The 95 years old hierophant Nestorius ends the Eleusinian
Mysteries and announces the predominance of mental darkness over the
human race.
381=A0=A0On 2nd May, Theodosius deprives of all their rights the
Christians that return back to the pagan Religion. In all the Eastern
Empire the pagan Temples and Libraries are looted or burned down. On
21st December, Theodosius outlaws even the simple visits to the Temples
of the Hellenes. In Constantinople, the Temple of Goddess Aphrodite is
turned to brothel and the Temples of Sun and Artemis to stables.
382=A0=A0"Hellelu-jah" (Glory to Yahweh) is imposed in the Christian
mass.
384=A0=A0Emperor Theodosius orders the Praetorian Prefect Maternus
Cynegius, a dedicated Christian, to cooperate with the local bishops and
destroy the Temples of the Gentiles in Northern Greece and Minor Asia.
385 to 388=A0=A0Maternus Cynegius, encouraged by his fanatic wife, and
bishop ("Saint") Marcellus with his gangs scour the countryside and sack
and destroy hundreds of Hellenic Temples, shrines and altars. Among
others they destroy the Temple of Edessa, the Cabeireion of Imbros, the
Temple of Zeus in Apamea, the Temple of Apollo in Dydima and all the
Temples of Palmyra. Thousands of innocent Gentiles from all sides of the
Empire suffer martyrdom in the notorious death camps of Skythopolis.
386=A0=A0Emperor Theodosius outlaws (16th June) the care of the sacked
pagan Temples.
388=A0=A0Public talks on religious subjects are also outlawed by
Theodosius. The old orator Libanius sends his famous Epistle "Pro
Templis" to Theodosius with the hope that the few remaining Hellenic
Temples will be respected and spared.
389 to 390=A0=A0All non-Christian date-methods are outlawed. Hordes of
fanatic hermits from the desert flood the cities of the Middle East and
Egypt and destroy statues, altars, Libraries and pagan Temples and lynch
the Gentiles. Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, starts heavy
persecutions against the Gentiles, turns the Temple of Dionysos into a
Christian church, burns down the Mithraeum of the city, destroys the
Temple of Zeus and burlesque the pagan priests before they are killed by
stoning. The Christian mob profanes the cult images.
391=A0=A0On 24th February, a new edict of Theodosius prohibits not only
visits to pagan Temples but also looking at the vandalised statues. New
heavy persecutions all around the Empire. In Alexandria, Egypt, the
Gentiles, led by the philosopher Olympius, revolt and after some street
fights they lock themselves inside the fortified Temple of God Serapis
(The Serapeion). After a violent siege, the Christians take over the
building, demolish it, burn its famous Library and profane the cult
images.
392=A0=A0On 8th November, the Emperor Theodosius outlaws all the
non-Christian rituals and names them "superstitions of the Gentiles"
(gentilicia superstitio). New full scale persecutions against the
Gentiles. The Mysteries of Samothrace are ended and the priests
slaughtered. In Cyprus the local bishop ("Saint") Epiphanius and "Saint"
Tychon destroy almost all the Temples of the island and exterminate
thousands of Gentiles. The local Mysteries of Goddess Aphrodite are
ended. Theodosius' edict declares: "the ones that won't obey pater
Epiphanius have no right to keep living in that island". The Gentiles
revolt against the Emperor and the Church in Petra, Aeropolis, Rafia,
Gaza, Baalbek and other cities of the Middle East.
393=A0=A0The Pythian Games, the Aktia Games and the Olympic Games are
outlawed as part of the Hellenic "idolatry". The Christians sack the
Temples of Olympia.
395=A0=A0Two new edicts (22nd July and 7th August) cause new
persecutions against the Gentiles. Rufinus, the eunuch Prime Minister of
Emperor Flavius Arcadius directs the hordes of the baptised Goths (led
by Alaric) to the country of the Hellenes. Encouraged by Christian monks
the barbarians sack and burn many cities (Dion, Delphi, Megara, Corinth,
Pheneos, Argos, Nemea, Lycosoura, Sparta, Messene, Phigaleia, Olympia,
etc.), slaughter or enslave innumerable Gentile Hellenes and burn down
all the Temples. Among others, they burn down the Eleusinian Sanctuary
and burn alive all its priests (including the hierophant of Mithras
Hilarius).
396=A0=A0On 7th December, a new edict by Emperor Arcadius orders that
paganism be treated as high treason. Imprisonment of the few remaining
pagan priests and hierophants.
397=A0=A0"Demolish them!". Emperor Flavius Arcadius orders all the still
standing pagan Temples to be demolished.
398=A0=A0The Fourth Church Council of Carthage prohibits to everybody,
including to the Christian bishops, the study of the books of the
Gentiles. Porphyrius, bishop of Gaza, demolishes almost all the pagan
Temples of his city (except 9 of them that remain active).
399=A0=A0With a new edict (13th July) Emperor Flavius Arcadius orders
all the still standing pagan Temples, mainly in the countryside, to be
immediately demolished.
400=A0=A0Bishop Nicetas destroys the Oracle of the God Dionysus in Vesai
and baptises all the Gentiles of this area.
401=A0=A0The Christian mob of Carthage lynches Gentiles and destroys
Temples and "idols". In Gaza too, the local bishop (also a.."Saint")
Porphyrius sends his followers to lynch Gentiles and to demolish the
remaining 9 still active Temples of the city. The 15th Council of
Chalkedon orders all the Christians that still keep good relations with
their gentile relatives to be excommunicated (even after their death).
405=A0=A0John Chrysostom sends hordes of gray dressed monks armed with
clubs and iron bars to destroy the "idols" in all the cities of
Palestine.
406=A0=A0John Chrysostom collects funds from rich Christian women to
financially support the demolition of the Hellenic Temples. In Ephessus
he orders the destruction of the famous Temple of Goddess Artemis. In
Salamis, Cyprus, the "Saints" Epiphanius and Eutychius continue the
persecutions of the Gentiles and the destruction of their Temples and
sanctuaries.
407=A0=A0A new edict outlaws once more all the non-Christian acts of
worship.
408=A0=A0The Emperor of the Western Empire Honorius and the Emperor of
the Eastern Empire Arcadius order together all the sculptures of the
pagan Temples to be either destroyed or to be taken away. Private
ownership of pagan sculpture is also outlawed. The local bishops lead
new heavy persecutions against the Gentiles and new book burning. The
judges that have pity for the Gentiles are also persecuted. "Saint"
Augustine massacres hundreds of protesting pagans in Calama, Algeria.
409=A0=A0Once again, an edict orders Astrology and all methods of
Divination to be punished by death.
415=A0=A0In Alexandria, Egypt, the Christian mob, urged by the bishop
Cyrillus, attacks a few days before the Judaeo-Christian Pascha (Easter)
and cuts to pieces the famous and beautiful philosopher Hypatia. The
pieces of her body, carried around by the Christian mob through the
streets of Alexandria, are finally burned together with her books in a
place called Cynaron. On 30th August, new persecutions start against all
the pagan priests of North Africa who end their lives either crucified
or burned alive.
416=A0=A0The inquisitor Hypatius, alias "The Sword of God", exterminates
the last Gentiles of Bithynia. In Constantinople (7th December) all
non-Christian army officers, public employees and judges are dismissed.
423=A0=A0Emperor Theodosius B declares (8th June) that the Religion of
the Gentiles is nothing more than "demon worship" and orders all those
who persist in practicing it to be punished by imprisonment and torture.
429=A0=A0The Temple of Goddess Athena (Parthenon) on the Acropolis of
Athens is sacked. The Athenian pagans are persecuted.
435=A0=A0On 14th November, a new edict by Emperor Theodosius B orders
the death penalty for all "heretics" and Gentiles of the Empire. Only
Judaism is considered a legal non-Christian Religion.
438=A0=A0Emperor Theodosius II issues an new edict (31st January)
against the Gentiles, incriminating their "idolatry" as the reason of a
recent plague (!)
440 to 450=A0=A0The Christians demolish all the monuments, altars and
Temples of Athens, Olympia, and other Greek cities.
448=A0=A0Theodosius B orders all the non-Christian books to be burned.
450=A0=A0All the Temples of Aphrodisias (City of Goddess Aphrodite) are
demolished and all its Libraries burned down. The city is renamed
Stavroupolis (City of the Cross).
451=A0=A0New edict by Emperor Theodosius II (4th November) emphasises
that "idolatry" is punished by death.
457 to 491=A0=A0Sporadic persecutions against the Gentiles of the
Eastern Empire. Among others, the physician Jacobus and the philosopher
Gessius are executed. Severianus, Herestios, Zosimus, Isidorus and
others are tortured and imprisoned. The proselytiser Conon and his
followers exterminate the last Gentiles of Imbros Island, Norheast
Aegean Sea. The last worshippers of Lavranius Zeus are exterminated in
Cyprus.
482 to 488=A0=A0The majority of the Gentiles of Minor Asia are
exterminated after a desperate revolt against the Emperor and the
Church.
486=A0=A0More "underground" pagan priests are discovered, arrested,
burlesqued, tortured and executed in Alexandria, Egypt.
515=A0=A0Baptism becomes obligatory even for those that already say they
are Christians. The Emperor of Constantinople Anastasius orders the
massacre of the Gentiles in the Arabian city Zoara and the demolition of
the Temple of local God Theandrites.
528=A0=A0Emperor Jutprada (Justinianus) outlaws the "alternative"
Olympian Games of Antioch. He also orders the execution (by fire,
crucifixion, tearing to pieces by wild beasts or cutting to pieces by
iron nails) of all who practice "sorcery, divination, magic or idolatry"
and prohibits all teachings by the Gentiles ("..the ones suffering from
the blasphemous insanity of the Hellenes").
529=A0=A0Emperor Justinianus outlaws the Athenian Philosophical Academy
and has its property confiscated.
532=A0=A0The inquisitor Ioannis Asiacus, a fanatic monk, leads a crusade
against the Gentiles of Minor Asia.
542=A0=A0Emperor Justinianus allows the inquisitor Ioannis Asiacus to
convert the Gentiles of Phrygia, Caria and Lydia, Minor Asia. Within 35
years of this crusade, 99 churches and 12 monasteries are built on the
sites of demolished pagan Temples.
546=A0=A0Hundreds of Gentiles are put to death in Constantinople by the
inquisitor Ioannis Asiacus.
556=A0=A0Emperor Justinianus orders the notorious inquisitor Amantius to
go to Antioch, to find, arrest, torture and exterminate the last
Gentiles of the city and burn all the private libraries down.
562=A0=A0Mass arrests, burlesquing, tortures, imprisonments and
executions of Gentile Hellenes in Athens, Antioch, Palmyra and
Constantinople.
578 to 582=A0=A0The Christians torture and crucify Gentile Hellenes all
around the Eastern Empire, and exterminate the last Gentiles of
Heliopolis (Baalbek).
580=A0=A0The Christian inquisitors attack a secret Temple of Zeus in
Antioch. The priest commits suicide, but the rest Gentiles are arrested.
All the prisoners, the Vice Governor Anatolius included, are tortured
and sent to Constantinople to face trial. Sentenced to death they are
thrown to the lions. The wild animals being unwilling to tear them to
pieces, they end up crucified. Their dead bodies are dragged in the
streets by the Christian mob and afterwards thrown unburied in the dump.
583=A0=A0New persecutions against the Gentile Hellenes by the Emperor
Mauricius.
590=A0=A0In all the Eastern Empire the Christian accusers "discover"
pagan conspiracies. New storm of torture and executions.
692=A0=A0The "Penthekto" Council of Constantinople prohibits the remains
of Calends, Brumalia, Anthesteria, and other pagan / Dionysian
celebrations.
804=A0=A0The Gentile Hellenes of Mesa Mani (Cape Tainaron, Lakonia,
Greece) resist successfully the attempt of Tarasius, Patriarch of
Constantinople, to convert them to Christianity.
850 to 860=A0=A0Violent conversion of the last Gentile Hellenes of Mesa
Mani by the Armenian "Saint" Nikon.
(Then during the Reformation, Protestants did the same thing to
Catholics, banning the 'Mass' and plundering, vandalizing and
confiscating their churches)
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