Wesley Huff

because they're monotheistic in a world that does not believe in monotheism. And Jews are monotheistic in that time as well. But there was this idea that your religion could be tied to your ethnicity, and that was okay. Like the Jews believe in one God and that's weird, but they're Jews. Whereas the Christians start to convert people who are of all different ethnic backgrounds.

because they're monotheistic in a world that does not believe in monotheism. And Jews are monotheistic in that time as well. But there was this idea that your religion could be tied to your ethnicity, and that was okay. Like the Jews believe in one God and that's weird, but they're Jews. Whereas the Christians start to convert people who are of all different ethnic backgrounds.

because they're monotheistic in a world that does not believe in monotheism. And Jews are monotheistic in that time as well. But there was this idea that your religion could be tied to your ethnicity, and that was okay. Like the Jews believe in one God and that's weird, but they're Jews. Whereas the Christians start to convert people who are of all different ethnic backgrounds.

And so they're like, well, what the heck is going on here? Because why are you saying... So the earliest criticisms of Christianity were actually that it was atheistic. Ah being the negative participle and theos meaning God, right? Because the ancient world was polytheistic.

And so they're like, well, what the heck is going on here? Because why are you saying... So the earliest criticisms of Christianity were actually that it was atheistic. Ah being the negative participle and theos meaning God, right? Because the ancient world was polytheistic.

And so they're like, well, what the heck is going on here? Because why are you saying... So the earliest criticisms of Christianity were actually that it was atheistic. Ah being the negative participle and theos meaning God, right? Because the ancient world was polytheistic.

But more than that, it was what's sometimes referred to as henotheism in that it's not that they believe in many gods. It's that they believe in many gods. And your gods could be my gods, right? Jupiter could be Zeus, just the same god by a different name. And your cities could have gods, right? Osiris and Ra can live in Egypt. And Zeus and Athena can live here.

But more than that, it was what's sometimes referred to as henotheism in that it's not that they believe in many gods. It's that they believe in many gods. And your gods could be my gods, right? Jupiter could be Zeus, just the same god by a different name. And your cities could have gods, right? Osiris and Ra can live in Egypt. And Zeus and Athena can live here.

But more than that, it was what's sometimes referred to as henotheism in that it's not that they believe in many gods. It's that they believe in many gods. And your gods could be my gods, right? Jupiter could be Zeus, just the same god by a different name. And your cities could have gods, right? Osiris and Ra can live in Egypt. And Zeus and Athena can live here.

And that doesn't compromise anything. But then the Christians are coming around and they're saying, actually, no, none of those gods exist. If they exist, then they're demons. But they don't actually exist. And this was a big point of persecution within early Christianity is that – A lot of physical events were tied to supernatural events.

And that doesn't compromise anything. But then the Christians are coming around and they're saying, actually, no, none of those gods exist. If they exist, then they're demons. But they don't actually exist. And this was a big point of persecution within early Christianity is that – A lot of physical events were tied to supernatural events.

And that doesn't compromise anything. But then the Christians are coming around and they're saying, actually, no, none of those gods exist. If they exist, then they're demons. But they don't actually exist. And this was a big point of persecution within early Christianity is that – A lot of physical events were tied to supernatural events.

So there's an ancient historian who has this line where he says, if the Nile River is too high in Egypt or the Tiber River is too low in Rome, the cry will ring out the Christians to the lions. Because if you have, say, a famine in Athens and they're going, okay, what's the reason for the famine? Well... Athena's mad because there's a bunch of people running around saying she doesn't exist.

So there's an ancient historian who has this line where he says, if the Nile River is too high in Egypt or the Tiber River is too low in Rome, the cry will ring out the Christians to the lions. Because if you have, say, a famine in Athens and they're going, okay, what's the reason for the famine? Well... Athena's mad because there's a bunch of people running around saying she doesn't exist.

So there's an ancient historian who has this line where he says, if the Nile River is too high in Egypt or the Tiber River is too low in Rome, the cry will ring out the Christians to the lions. Because if you have, say, a famine in Athens and they're going, okay, what's the reason for the famine? Well... Athena's mad because there's a bunch of people running around saying she doesn't exist.

Okay, well, let's deal with them. Let's get rid of them and that'll solve our issue. So Christians were this very oddball group. Kind of crazy that it wound up taking over the area. Well, that's part of, I think, the argument of, well, how do you explain that?

Okay, well, let's deal with them. Let's get rid of them and that'll solve our issue. So Christians were this very oddball group. Kind of crazy that it wound up taking over the area. Well, that's part of, I think, the argument of, well, how do you explain that?

Okay, well, let's deal with them. Let's get rid of them and that'll solve our issue. So Christians were this very oddball group. Kind of crazy that it wound up taking over the area. Well, that's part of, I think, the argument of, well, how do you explain that?

How do you explain it going from 11 scared disciples in an upper room to being willing to go out and die for the proclamation that you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and you saw him and you touched him and you ate with him and, you know, he wasn't a ghost. You actually ate fish with the resurrected Jesus.

How do you explain it going from 11 scared disciples in an upper room to being willing to go out and die for the proclamation that you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and you saw him and you touched him and you ate with him and, you know, he wasn't a ghost. You actually ate fish with the resurrected Jesus.