The Colosseum in Rome was once cream-colored and shining. Lions were caged inside. Gladiators prepared for battle there.

Screaming fans filled the arena. But over 2,000 years it’s grown dusty and cracked. Its structure has been threatened by looters, earthquakes, and a busy nearby highway. Some pieces of it have fallen down—seemingly for good.

But now an archeologist wants to restore the building. It will be just like it was in the good old days. No, they won’t be holding gladiator fights there. But what about soccer games? Operas? Not everyone agrees about how the refurbished Colosseum should be used.

But there’s a bigger question here. Were the “good old days” of Rome really good? Was the Colosseum really a glorious place where heroic things happened? Soon after Jesus’ death, the Roman people killed many Christians in the Colosseum. They threw them to wild animals, hung them on crosses, or burned them at the stake. The crowds watched and cheered.

In those days, the Colosseum was a lot like Nazi prison camps during WWII. People were tortured for their faith there. That isn’t something to celebrate!

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” —Isaiah 5:20