- Registrado
- 7 de Jul, 2020
Christianity has a long history in Persia, though I don't know where the idea from some in this thread that it was ever a good history comes from. The history of Syriac Christians in Sassanid Persia is basically a history of torture:Zoroastrianism and Christianity are the two fastest growing religions in Iran atm. They by now combine for over 16% of the population, this was after they stood at around 3% combined in 2008.
And the judges were enraged at him, and they commanded that he be bound and suspended, and that he be beaten with many lashes, without pity or restraint.
And they struck him again and again, until his flesh was split and torn, and his blood ran down upon the ground beneath him.
While he was being beaten, they said to him: “Spare yourself. Obey the command of the king. Sacrifice to the sun and to the fire, and you will live.”
But he answered them with a loud voice: “I will not sacrifice to things that are made, but to the One who made all things.”
And when they saw that he did not bend and that his resolve did not weaken, they ordered that the blows be increased, and they struck him more fiercely than before.
And his tormentors said to him: “Do you not see that your body is being destroyed, and that your blood is flowing out?”
He answered them and said: “The body is destroyed for a time, but the soul is not destroyed forever. Do what has been commanded to you.”
And they continued to beat him for a long time, and his wounds were opened, and his sides were laid bare, and his strength was spent, yet no cry of complaint came forth from his mouth.
And those who were standing by marveled and said to one another: “This man has no fear of suffering, and pain has no power over him.”
And again they urged him, saying: “Offer incense only, and you will be released. Your rank will be restored to you, and your honor will return.”
But he said to them: “You have authority over the body for a short time, but over the soul you have no authority at all.”
And when they saw that neither blows nor threats prevailed, they ceased from the scourging and pronounced the sentence of death against him, so that he might be made an example to all the Christians who were in the land of the Persians.
From the hagiographic Legend of Mar Qardagh. And that's just one of many texts discussing pre-Islamic persecution of Christians in Persia.