Wasn't there something about "He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword"? Of course they didn't have semi and automatic swords back then.
Life was hard back then and people didn't live past 30-35. Dying a hard life was easy. Now with all our comforts people are reluctant to die for their beliefs. Funny, how the religious zealots say they can't wait to meet Jesus, but not just yet? They have turned their after-life dogma into a this life dogma which they are willing to defend at all costs, especially if those costs are borne by others.