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| Chapter I
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Chapter I.
The first point which Celsus brings forward, in
his desire to throw discredit upon Christianity, is, that the
Christians entered into secret associations with each other contrary to
law, saying, that “of associations some are public, and that
these are in accordance with the laws; others, again, secret, and
maintained in violation of the laws.” And his wish is to
bring into disrepute what are termed the
“love-feasts”3085
| 3085 τὴν
καλουμένην
ἀγάπην. | of the Christians,
as if they had their origin in the common danger, and were more binding
than any oaths. Since, then, he babbles about the public law,
alleging that the associations of the Christians are in violation of
it, we have to reply, that if a man were placed among Scythians, whose
laws were unholy,3086
and having no
opportunity of escape, were compelled to live among them, such an one
would with good reason, for the sake of the law of truth, which the
Scythians would regard as wickedness,3087
enter into associations contrary to their laws, with those like-minded
with himself; so, if truth is to decide, the laws of the heathens which
relate to images, and an atheistical polytheism, are
“Scythian” laws, or more impious even than these, if there
be any such. It is not irrational, then, to form associations in
opposition to existing laws, if done for the sake of the truth.
For as those persons would do well who should enter into a secret
association in order to put to death a tyrant who had seized upon the
liberties of a state, so Christians also, when tyrannized over by him
who is called the devil, and by falsehood, form leagues contrary to the
laws of the devil, against his power, and for the safety of those
others whom they may succeed in persuading to revolt from a government
which is, as it were, “Scythian,” and
despotic.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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