Posted: December 6th 2008
Eric_PK
I’ll assume for sake of argument that events happened as you state (I don’t have a strong opinion one way or another on that).
People have chosen to die for false religious beliefs throughout history. For recent examples, search for “Jonestown” or “Branch Dividians”.
As for why they choose to do that, my speculation is they think their belief is true.
If I’m right, that’s a cautionary tale about how strongly one should believe something.
Posted: December 8th 2008
Akusai www
Trick question much? I don’t think I’ve ever heard the claim anywhere that martyrs died to knowingly perpetrate a hoax. I’m not sure where you heard it, or if you just came up with it on your own, but I really doubt anyone but the fringe of the fringe thinks your statement is true.
Martyrs died because they wholeheartedly believed in Christianity, not because they were trying to fool people centuries later. It’s that simple.
I’d advise you in the future to ask questions that can actually be answered and don’t assume a position that nobody holds.
Posted: December 8th 2008
SmartLX www
Very few if any of them could have known it was a hoax.
It only takes one lifetime before nobody has first-hand knowledge, and then it’s easier to simply believe what you’re told. In first-century Jerusalem, the average lifespan was at most 25-30 years, which is about how long it took after the supposed Crucifixion for the first Gospels to be published. Furthermore, literacy in the region was about 3%.
Therefore if four very brave people chose to perpetrate a hoax for the good of Israel and/or mankind (and if you believe the later stories, they lived a suspiciously long time regardless) there would have been few or no contrary accounts, and almost no one alive who might remember a different version of events. In other words, no competition.
There didn’t have to be 200 years of hoaxers, just a few good ones followed by 200 years’ worth of fervent believers.
Posted: December 7th 2008
Dave Hitt www
Willingness to die for a belief doesn’t mean it’s true. If it did, we’d have to conclude that Islam, with more violent martyrs than any other religion, is The Truth.
Religion thrives on persecution, and martyrs are almost always considered heroes. Christianity is based on martyrdom. Imagine how different the world would be if Jesus had been sentenced to two hundred hours of community service.
Posted: December 7th 2008
logicel
Refer to my answer for an previous question
regarding my opinion on equating religions with hoaxes/frauds.
Many Christians did not choose martyrdom and became lapsed Christians in order to escape persecution and whose hotly debated re-entry into active Christianity eventually fueled the Donatist and Novatianist schisms of the third and fourth centuries.
What was the appeal of martyrdom to those that did choose it? Excerpted from the Wikipedia article on Christian martyrs:
A martyr’s death was considered a “baptism in blood,” cleansing one of sin as baptism in water did.[1] Early Christians venerated martyrs as powerful intercessors, and their utterances were treasured as inspired specially by the Holy Spirit.[1]
The lives of the martyrs became a great source of inspiration for the Christians and their lives and relics were greatly revered. Second century Church Father, Tertullian wrote that “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians”, implying that the willing sacrificing of the martyrs lives leads to the conversion of many more. [3]
The age of martyrdom also helped develop some of the liturgical worship such as having relics in altars, and the architecture of the buildings built for worship.
Martyrdom preceded Christianity as it was an important part of Judaism so the practice was already held in high esteem. Martyrdom also features prominently in Islam and Sikhism (Does that mean that Islam and Sikhism are the true religions?), not to mention the countless Christian martyrs who were killed by other Christians from different sects during the Protestant Reformation (which one of those sects are true?)
Violent death and religion go bloody hand in bloody hand throughout history, whether it is in the form of willing martyrdom or butchering other religious believers. Religion is one dirty business.
EDIT: Obviously, the main inspirational model for Christian martyrs is the son of their God, Jesus. Christianity is, in essence, a bizarre and frightening belief system, where death becomes a blessing and atrocious suffering is regarded in a positive light. No truth is necessary, just an psychological escalation of pathology is required in order to disregard precious life in such an atrocious manner.
Posted: December 6th 2008