“THE MONSTROUS MORALS OF ROME”

The Roman statesman Seneca was an eyewitness of conditions in the Roman world at the time when Christianity had its beginning. He admitted: ‘Every day the desire for wrongdoing is greater. Wickedness has gained such power over the hearts of all that innocence is not rare​—it no longer exists.’ Juvenal, who also lived during that period, writes of “the monstrous morals of Rome.”

“Past all moral sense” is how a Bible writer described the people of his day. (Eph. 4:19) Promiscuous sex relations were viewed as the norm. Ancient historian Lampridius said of that era that an unmarried person had to have a girl with whom he could have sex relations habitually, “because it was impossible that he could exist without one.” But what helped create such a sordid atmosphere?

‘IF A GOD DOES IT, WHY NOT I?’

The gods of the Romans, for the most part borrowed from the Greeks, were looked to as patterns of behavior. But what immoral characters! Venus and Flora were brazen-faced prostitutes, Bacchus was a drunkard, Mercury was a highway robber and Apollo was a seducer of many women. Even Jupiter, the chief and wisest of the gods, is said to have committed either adultery or incest with 59 women!

How did these examples affect the people? One of the plays during that era portrays a young man contemplating whether he should or should not commit fornication with a beautiful young girl. He then notices a picture of Jupiter seducing a woman. “If a god does it, why should not I, a man?” he reasons, and “so I decided to do it.” This play reflected real life, for Seneca wrote that sexual immorality no longer had any shame for a man “when he saw the gods were no better than himself.” No doubt the invisible masterminds behind these concepts of gods were the ‘sons of God’ who rebelled in Noah’s day, coming down to earth to have immoral relations with the daughters of men. Though these sexual perverts returned to the spirit realm, they have continued to saturate the society of mankind with the spirit of immorality.​—Gen. 6:1-4; Jude 6, 7.

“A MARKET FOR FORNICATION”

Second-century writer Athenagoras charges that some at that time had set up “a market for fornication, and established infamous resorts for the young for every kind of vile pleasure.” Included in this “market” that publicly “sold” illicit sex was the theater. The themes of the shows dwelt on the immoral love life of the gods. The performers often dressed in “close-fitting dress” that gave the appearance of nudity. Additionally, on the walls of homes and temples, often in full public view, were paintings of “indescribable lewdness,” at times even portraying sexual intercourse. The statues of the immoral gods, often portrayed nude, were in public view for even the youngest of eyes. Also, literature containing some of the filthiest language and descriptions ever recorded circulated freely among the youth. Minds were contaminated from an early age by reading, or by having others read to them, the escapades of the gods and goddesses.

Add to this the very popular public baths, used by the masses, which were considered little better than “houses of prostitution under a respectable name”; the gymnasiums, where many young and old men exercised in the nude, and which became dens of homosexuality; and the festivals, which were often just public sexual orgies. The situation became exactly as that described in the apostle Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians. Referring to those who ‘rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the Creator’ and who followed the then-current morals, he wrote: “God gave them up to disgraceful sexual appetites, for both their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature; and likewise even the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene.” (Rom. 1:24-27) Paul’s description was shockingly accurate, for the moral depravity of the Graeco-Roman world led to one of the most disgusting practices in history​—the sexual abuse of young boys by older men. This filthy practice was glorified by poetry and plays, and the whole society was infected with it.

If you had lived then, and everywhere you turned you saw moral filth, how difficult it might have been to keep clean!

We should not forget that the early Christians lived in a depraved world. Some who became Christians were of “the household of Caesar.” (Phil. 4:22) At the time, Nero was the Caesar, and his shocking moral outrages are well known. He arranged the lewdest of entertainment. He even “married” a young man “with all the forms of regular wedlock.”a Yet those of his “household” who were Christians (perhaps government officials or servants) remained chaste despite the environment.

The Christians in Rome were objects of much peer pressure and ridicule. For instance, Seneca reflects the common view when he writes: “Whoever has no love affairs is despised.” “Chastity is simply a proof of ugliness.” Others reportedly would complain: ‘What a woman she was! How sensual, how gay! What a youth he was! How loose, how lustful! Now they have become Christians​—what a pity!’

But those early disciples were not to be pitied. They could hold their heads up with self-respect. They had clear consciences. As “children of light” they spread their pure message far and wide without any embarrassment. (Eph. 5:8) Would you not have counted it a privilege to have been identified as one of these moral “rocks” in that sea of mud? Their truly satisfying way of life contrasted sharply with that of the people of the nations ‘who did not know God and indulged their covetous sexual appetite’ to their hurt.​—1 Thess. 4:5.

For instance, during that first century, life for many had become meaningless. They had drunk the intoxicating cup of pleasure to the dregs​—exhausting every avenue of enjoyment. No charm, no delicacy, was left​—and also no satisfaction. According to the writings of Juvenal, one homosexual, who at an older age was rejected by his lover, pleaded: “What’s my best move now after all these wasted years and disappointed hopes? The bloom of life will wither too soon, our miserable span on earth is running out: While we drink, while we’re calling out for garlands and perfumes and girls, old age creeps up on us, unregarded.”