Why did Marcus Aurelius persecute Christians?

[Qoeleth]

Those familiar with Marcus Aurelius’ ‘Meditations’ will know that there are many ideas there which seem to be in harmony with Christianity- the idea of a benevolent and just God, intimately in relationship to humans- the idea of the inviolate freedom of conscience- the ethical principles of compassion, non-judgmentality, forgiveness, honesty, tolerance, acceptance of suffering, moral integrity abova all else, etc. It is obvious from the book that Marcus Aurelius would not have believed He himself was a god deserving worship, and that he was not a lunatic or cruel man. In fact, (apart from the absence of Jesus) I think most modern readers at first glance would assume that it was a Christian book- and a person who lived by what is expressed in the Meditations would look much like an ‘ideal’ modern Christian- not a saint, maybe, but a more or less perfect citizen.

Yet, Marcus Aurelius conducted harsh persecutions of Christianity. Can anyone conjecture the reasons for this?

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Belonging to the later Stoical school, which believed in an immediate absorption after death into the Divine essence, Marcus Aurelius considered the Christian doctrine of the immortality of the soul, with its moral consequences, as vicious and dangerous to the welfare of the state. A law was passed under his reign, punishing every one with exile who should endeavor to influence people’s mind by fear of the Divinity, and this law was aimed at the Christians.

I found the above at Wiki. I sounds like he did not like the idea of punishment or reward in the afterlife.

I know basically Romans frowned on Christians because they did not pay tribute to the Roman gods, which they considered necessary for the peace and order of the Republic. Also, Christians practiced in secret and many of their ways were misinterpreted, such as the holy kiss being interpreted as free sex.

 

[Qoeleth]

Belonging to the later Stoical school, which believed in an immediate absorption after death into the Divine essence, Marcus Aurelius considered the Christian doctrine of the immortality of the soul, with its moral consequences, as vicious and dangerous to the welfare of the state. A law was passed under his reign, punishing every one with exile who should endeavor to influence people’s mind by fear of the Divinity, and this law was aimed at the Christians.

I found the above at Wiki. I sounds like he did not like the idea of punishment or reward in the afterlife.

I know basically Romans frowned on Christians because they did not pay tribute to the Roman gods, which they considered necessary for the peace and order of the Republic. Also, Christians practiced in secret and many of their ways were misinterpreted, such as the holy kiss being interpreted as free sex.

So, possibly Marcus had the wrong idea of Christians- as a secretive, immoral superstition?

Any conjectures as to why the belief in the immortality of the individual soul would be consdered as leading to immoral or vicious behaviour? I can’t see it…

 

[CHRISTINE77]

So, possibly Marcus had the wrong idea of Christians- as a secretive, immoral superstition?

Any conjectures as to why the belief in the immortality of the individual soul would be consdered as leading to immoral or vicious behaviour? I can’t see it…

No you misunderstand… He did beleve in the immortality of the soul, but not in reward or punishment after death. So he thought that our souls lived on, but not in heaven or hell.

The teaching of resurrection of the dead was particularily troubling. Neoplatonists thought there is no resurrection from the dead, but that immediately at death their souls would ascend to heaven. I’m not sure what their concept of heaven was, but they clearly did not believe in Hell.

 

[Qoeleth]

No you misunderstand… He did beleve in the immortality of the soul, but not in reward or punishment after death. So he thought that our souls lived on, but not in heaven or hell.

The teaching of resurrection of the dead was particularily troubling. Neoplatonists thought there is no resurrection from the dead, but that immediately at death their souls would ascend to heaven. I’m not sure what their concept of heaven was, but they clearly did not believe in Hell.

In a sense, immortality, but an immortality which involved loss of individual identity- re-aborbotion into the Supreme Reason of the universe.

Now, the idea of the bodily resurrection of the dead IS troubling, especially if people believe it to be just around the corner. Perhaps the early Christians took it more literally than we do today.