He was also a stern persecutor of heretics. He was of course a persecutor of heretics. The Talmud also teaches&colon; "Be of the persecuted rather than the persecutor". For all his overmastering zeal, Bernard was by nature neither a bigot nor a persecutor. The conversion of Paul from persecutor to apostle is a well-known biblical story. Early church historian Eusebius described Severus as a persecutor. Baker had a reputation as a brutal persecutor of protestants, earning the nickname 'Bloody Baker'. However, St. Bridget of Sweden denounced him as a persecutor of Christians. She would eventually live to see the violent death of her former persecutor, King James. A family member plays the victim role, casting the family as the persecutor. Historians dispute the identification of Krimikanta Chola, the persecutor of Vaishnavite acharya Ramanuja, with Kulottunga.