________________
36
Religion, Practice and Science of Non-Violence
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy! Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God! Blessed are the peace-makers, for they will be called God's
sons! After the crucifixion of Christ, his apostles preached his teachings of love and good-will and helped the needy and the sick. But they as well as other new converts were hindered in their work and were prosecuted by the Jewish leaders. In AD 64, emperor Nero set fire to the city of Rome and blamed the Christians, enraging the general populace to extirminate them. Many a time, the Christians were nailed to the cross, covered with pitch, and then set on fire; they were thrown into enclosed places to be devoured by hungry lions, or were torn apart with ropes pulling the limbs in opposite directions. In spite of such terrible atrocities which continued for more than two hundred years, the converts to Christianity increased in number. They refused to serve in the armies of the emperors as it was against the teachings of Christ. Tertullian, a leading Church father, when he noticed a few Christians in the army of Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180), opposed it vehemently. He reminded them of Jesus' command to Peter to put up his sword. He said, “Shall it be held lawful to make an occupation of the sword, when the Lord proclaims that he who uses the sword shall perish with the sword? Or shall the son of peace take part in the battle when it does not become him even to sue at law? And shall he apply the chain, and the prison, and the torture, and the punishment, who is not the avenger even of his own wrongs?”
Another true follower of Jesus, father Origen, in AD 250, argued in favour of the role of the Christians outside the army. He said that Christians through their peaceful manner of life were a much greater help to the emperor than they would be if they served as soldiers or magistrates. He argued: “For men of God are assuredly the salt of the earth; they preserve the order of the world, and society is held together as long as the salt is uncorrupted... And as we by our prayers vanquish all demons who stir up war and lead to the violation of oaths and disturb the peace, we in this way are much more helpful to the kings
iCadoux, C.J., The Early Christian Altitude to War, p. 17.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
