Nero Became Demon Possessed After Paul's Testimony?

[KingsGambit]

There are any number of things that can explain that as well. To me, demon possession is such an "out there" hypothesis that it's not even worth considering.

Yes, but you have to consider that this is what Mike Licona would call a "religiously charged context".

[KingsGambit]

Having said that I agree there is no firm evidence this is what happened. This is nothing more than speculation.

[Raphael]

There are any number of things that can explain that as well. To me, demon possession is such an "out there" hypothesis that it's not even worth considering.

That would be the difference. I don't consider demon possession to be an out there hypothesis.

[Teallaura]

Humans are stupid. Why does God care about us? We act so dumb! And I bet some fundy atheist will complain that God did not baby proof the Universe for us. Human proof? Is that even possible?

More of a problem is that they would have private taps into the water coming into the city through the aqueducts which were often lead pipes.

To be fair, they did not know lead was poisonous - it's just one heck of a lot easier to work with, plentiful and tastes sweet.

Remember Marie Curie - no one's idea of dumb - carried radium around in glass vials all the time. She simply had no way to know until it was too late.


Sure, humans come mostly in size stupid (sometimes extra stupid ) but simply not knowing something isn't stupidity.

[Teallaura]

That would be the difference. I don't consider demon possession to be an out there hypothesis.

Yeah - I'm unsure that we can point to an exact diagnosis this late in history, but demon possession isn't off the table. If we had evidence about how the Gospel affected him - if he really did hear it - then this might well be.

I just think Satan is lazy so lead would be my first guess - IF he really had some intervening factor and wasn't just a nut with the reins off.

[KingsGambit]

I'll put it this way. It's more likely that Satan intervened here than that Satan intervened in changing the spelling of Mark McGwire or the Berenstein Bears (as was suggested in the Mandela effect thread).

[rogue06]

To be fair, they did not know lead was poisonous - it's just one heck of a lot easier to work with, plentiful and tastes sweet.

Remember Marie Curie - no one's idea of dumb - carried radium around in glass vials all the time. She simply had no way to know until it was too late.


Sure, humans come mostly in size stupid (sometimes extra stupid ) but simply not knowing something isn't stupidity.

Big difference between ignorance and stupidity. The former can be remedied. And even until recently lead solder was used to join copper water pipes.

[Christianbookworm]

Mortality stinks. But living forever in a fallen world would stink even more.

[Mountain Man]

Yeah - I'm unsure that we can point to an exact diagnosis this late in history, but demon possession isn't off the table.

I never said it wasn't possible, only that (in my opinion) it's not probable.

[Tassman]

I'm listening to a commentary by Chuck Smith on Philippians 1.

Chuck makes a comment about Paul's first appearance before Nero, in which Paul was set free, then a subsequent appearance 2 years later, where Paul was martyred.

He didn't say it exactly like that, but that's not the point....

He suggests that, following Paul's presentation of the Gospel in his defense before Nero, Nero became a "mad man". That PRIOR to this, Nero was a fairly decent ruler.

I've just googled some sources that tend to agree that there was a drastic change in Nero, but they attribute it more to the death of his mother, or the death of Agrippa, or some other event.

Comments?

[firstfloor]

Candida Moss has this, on Daily Beast:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/nero-t...istian-history

[JimL]

Mortality stinks. But living forever in a fallen world would stink even more.

I'm pretty sure that living forever in any world would get quite boring after a while, particularly if living meant kissing your free will goodbye.

[Christianbookworm]

I'm pretty sure that living forever in any world would get quite boring after a while, particularly if living meant kissing your free will goodbye.

God doesn't think it would be boring. And I could talk with and praise Him for eternity. Not like an eternal hymn sing. More like an utopia where every need is met and that includes the need for "enrichment". Or did you think the omnipotent Creator of all things actually needs servants?

[Tassman]

God doesn't think it would be boring. And I could talk with and praise Him for eternity. Not like an eternal hymn sing. More like an utopia where every need is met and that includes the need for "enrichment". Or did you think the omnipotent Creator of all things actually needs servants?

[Christianbookworm]

Desires are not needs. God does not need us, but He does want us. And why do people keep thinking God is somehow boring?