[Antoninus]

February 23 is the feast day of Saint Polycarp. His dialogue with Statius Quadratus is one of the earliest transcripts of a Roman trial of a Chrisitan -- and one of the most epic.

[Antoninus]

Ping

[BenLurkin]

The proconsul replied, "Persuade the people."

This is the essence of a fundamental weakness in a judiciary. When the interpretation and enforcement of laws are influenced by forceful shifts in public opinion.

Today we see courts bending their opinions towards what judges (who are only human) sense is the impetus of mass sentiments. Egregious assaults upon life and morality are thereby justified (in their minds) by the perceived "will of the people"

And so today, we can not rely on courts to enforce or interpret laws in a manner which preserves civilized society unless and until we can "persuade the people" to turn away from debauchery and death and back to decency and life.

[Steely Tom]

I appreciate this account, but I warn that you may call forth the scorn of he who claims humility but is not humble.

[Tanniker Smith]

Been a Christian my whole life, so I will make this confession: when I read the headline, I thought this was going to be a humor piece about a Pokemon ...

Forgive me.

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

Now, the blessed Polycarp suffered martyrdom on the second day of the month Xanthicus just begun, the seventh day before the Kalends of May, on the great Sabbath, at the eighth hour. He was taken by Herod, Philip the Trallian being high priest, Statius Quadratus being proconsul, but Jesus Christ being King for ever, to whom be glory, honour, majesty, and an everlasting throne, from generation to generation. Amen.
(Martyrdom of Polycarp. xxi)

[Migraine]

The worst you can do to me is the best that can happen to me.

[boatbums]

But Polycarp said, "To you I have thought it right to offer an account [of my faith]; for we are taught to give all due honor (which entails no injury upon ourselves) to the powers and authorities which are ordained of God. [Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1] But as for these, I do not deem them worthy of receiving any account from me.

Wonderful how he was confirming the authority of the Sacred Scriptures centuries before any "formal declaration" determined them to be. God's word was written as "holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:21) and it has been preserved so that we ALL might know what was taught by Jesus Christ and His disciples and binding upon those who follow Him.