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Handout #22 |
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The objections of a wise man |
| About 170 A.D., a well-educated pagan, Celsus, who
had made a thorough investigation of Christianity, launched a systematic
attack on the doctrine and behavior of Christians in a Greek work, The
True Doctrine. Would Celsus' objections find an echo today?
There is a new race of men born yesterday, with neither homeland nor traditions, allied against all religions and civil institutions, pursued by justice, universally notorious for their infamy, but glorying in common execration: these are Christians. Their injunctions are like this. 'Let no one educated, no one wise, no one sensible draw near. For these abilities are thought by us to be evils. But as for anyone ignorant, anyone stupid, anyone uneducated, anyone who is a child, let him come boldly. By the fact that they themselves admit that these people are worthy of their God, they show that they want and are able to convince only the foolish, dishonorable and stupid, and only slaves, women and little children ....(III, 44) The assertion that some God or son of God has come down to the earth as judge of mankind is most shameful, and no lengthy argument is required to refute it. What is the purpose of such a descent on the part of God? Was it in order to learn what was going on among common men? Does not he know everything? If then he does know, why does he not correct men, and why can he not do this by divine power, without sending some one, specially endowed for the purpose . . (IV, 2f ) Is it that God wants to give us knowledge of himself for our salvation, in order that those who accept it may become good and be saved, but that those who do not accept it may be proved to be wicked and punished? But is it only now after such a long age that God has remembered to judge the life of men? Did he not care before ...? God is good and beautiful and happy, and exists in the most beautiful state. If then he comes down to men, he must undergo change, a change from good to bad, from beautiful to shameful, from happiness to misfortune, and from what is best to what is most wicked. Who would choose a change like this? God could not be capable of undergoing this change (IV 7,14). If Christians refuse to worship in the proper way the lords in charge of them, then they ought neither to come to marriageable age nor to marry a wife, nor to beget children, nor to do anything else in life. But they should depart from this world leaving no descendants at all behind them, so that such a race would entirely cease to exist upon earth. But if they are going to marry wives, and beget children, and taste of the fruits, and partake of the joys of this life, and endure the appointed evils, then they ought to render the due honors to the beings who have been entrusted with these things ... (VIII 54) If everyone were to do the same as you, there would be nothing to prevent the emperor from being abandoned, alone and deserted, while earthly things would come into the power of the most lawless and savage barbarians, and nothing more would be heard among men either of your worship or of the true wisdom ... (VIII 68). Help the emperor with all your power, and cooperate with him in what is right, and fight for him, and be fellow-soldiers if he presses for this, and fellow generals with him. Accept public office in your country if it is necessary to do this for the sake of the preservation of the laws and of piety ...(VIII 73, 75).Extracts contained in Origen, Contra Celsum, a third-century work; the translations here come from the version edited by H. Chadwick. |
