why do non christians, page-74

Surat,

I hear you, but I'm not sure if we're staying particularly close to the topic. The protagonists in this thread are cyclists, not soldiers.

However, if the moderators will permit a brief digression, I'd like to comment that I'm not too sure about the quality of your sources. You said the following:

"In his book entitled The Rise of Christianity E. W. Barnes said "A careful review of all the information available goes to show that,until the time of Marcus Aurelius[ Roman emperor from 161-180 CE] no Christian became a soldier,and no soldier,after becoming a christian remained in military service"

I don't know this author, Surat, but I can't imagine how he could have traced the careers and beliefs of every soldier in service across several countries and over a period of many decades. In any case, I can think of at least one soldier, serving prior to Marcus Aurelius, who seems to be a spectacular exception to Barnes' "careful review." I quote Matthew 8 as follows:

"The Faith of the Centurion

5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."

7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."

8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."

[Verses 11 and 12 digress]

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour."

The guy seems to disappear out of recorded history from this point, still AFAIK a centurion, and still a much-praised believer. What's more, condemnation of his profession is conspicuous by its absence.

There is also the centurion whose spontaneous expression of belief is quoted in Mark 15:39, and whose career direction thereafter seems unknown.

I question whether Barnes is truly a "careful" researcher, if such an important statement from his book can be called into doubt by three separate off-the-cuff objections.