That actually proves the truth of God in Christ because it shows sacrifice is at the heart of reality / the suffering servant is the ultimate truth / logos. Christianity is such a good religion.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40565563)

a bunch of dudes see their friend do a bunch of miracles over 3 years, get murdered, wake up after 3 days and then, for a finale, go up into space.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40565573)

-late Roman pagans

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40565593)

I saw a couple of nuns at the grocery store today. I said HI in my best happy Evangelical voice and they ignored me lol

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40565625)

A Syrian named Tatian had visited Rome and developed a hatred for Pagans. Then he goes to Alexandria and pagan butt fucker greek sophists there are influencing the development of christianity with their hellenic bullshit so he basically starts a sect that rejects all of this disgusting nonsense

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatian

The Encratites rejected Greek culture, pleasure seeking in any form, etc, really fundamentalist, they basically followed every principle to its logical extreme.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encratites

Martyr is just the greek word for witness and it originally just meant bearing witness, testimony, etc. and had nothing to do with being killed. but the most extreme way to bear witness for them was basically reenacting christ's death. The Encratites were a highly persecuted heretical sect and had plenty of opportunities to be martyred. They eventually died out but leaders saw how effective martyrdom could be and co-opted the theology that had developed around it.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566129)

If you read the Acts of the Martyrs, you'll see that despite the various manners in which martyrs were killed, all descriptions are reminiscent of Christ's death (in some cases, perfumes or rich minerals would emanate from the corpse or the corpse would become indestructible to prevent the mob from desecrating it). The main underlying theme/lesson connecting these stories is that imitation of our Lord is essential to being Christian and one should not shy away from carrying on Christ's work. One should strive to mirror His life in his or her actions, even if that requires going to extremes (the most extreme imitation of Christ's life = dying for the faith).

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566184)

Not trying to argue here- genuinely interested- but source(s) on the "martyrdom was initially discouraged" part of your statement? The martyrdom St. Felicitas/Perpetua took place in the first century, I believe.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566237)

Even if the title “martyr” isn’t applicable to Christ, it’s undeniable that the early Christian martyrs strove to imitate Christ in their deaths.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40567692)

Not being sarcastic

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40567742)

Christ was the first martyr

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566192)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40567007)

Becoming a martyr was an easy way for an otherwise unremarkable plebeian to make their mark on history and be elevated to Sainthood. It was seen as a badge of honor to die for the cause, Christianity. It got to the point where it became somewhat of a competition, whereby the more brutally one was tortured for their beliefs the more famous that person became. There was even a group known as the circumcellions who were a Roman-era suicide4Jesus pact, believing that dying for the cause was tantamount to martyrdom, although they were an object of scorn for prominent Christians like Augustine, who believed they were nothing more than a death sect.

Reading a book right now that discusses this very topic, the Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World, it's a pretty easy read if you're looking for more information.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566302)

i do think they were pretty numerous though, esp. if you take into account that early christian martyr incidents over the course of centuries, albeit sporadically

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566321)

really makes u think

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566944)

"hehe im a scientist too"

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=4578951&forum_id=2#40566951)