The Great Courses had a sale recently on some college courses one can watch on DVD.  Because we have been studying the Middle Ages, I wanted to purchase this one even though my children are under 12.   I am a history buff and like to read about the time period we are studying.  I thought by watching these, I might be able to add to what my children are learning and enhance their learning experience.

One of the lectures was about the Athletes of God,.  The professor said Christians loved being martyrs and did all kind of things so they could become one.  The Roman government was made out to be very kind and sympathetic, giving them chance after chance to save themselves.  All the Christians would had to do is offer a little incense to the emperor and their life would be spared or just say they were not Christian and they could be saved, etc.  I think the whole Christian experience - a willingness to lay down one's life to follow God at any cost - was lost on the lecturer.  However, it showed me how committed the early Christians were.

I did not appreciate the lecturer painting such a nice picture of the Romans without mentioning the gladiatorial fights that took place with Christians pitted against beasts and others for the viewer's enjoyment and other events that took the lives of Christians.  History is not how we paint it and to whitewash facts was somewhat distasteful to me while making the non-Christians out to be so amiable.

He also said that by fasting, deprivation, and praying, they somehow had power over the devil.  Others were attracted to that power so they were willing to follow to get the same power.  He had no concept about the power of fasting, praying and believing for God to anwer prayers.

Besides these points, I have been enjoying these lectures.