The new faith of Christianity adopted the Jewish view of infanticide and exposure as violations of the sanctity of life and contrary to teachings on the value of children. In the highly influential First Apology, addressed to Emperor Antoninus Pius and the Roman Senate, Justin opposed the Roman custom of exposing children by exalting Christian ethics over pagan customs: “But as for us, we have been taught that to expose newly-born children is the part of wicked men; and this we have been taught lest we should do any one an injury, and lest we should sin against God, first, because we see that almost all so exposed (not only the girls, but also the males) are brought up to prostitution. And as the ancients are said to have reared herds of oxen, or goats, or sheep, or grazing horses, so now we see you rear children only for this shameful use…”