Testimonia

{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">The first point which Celsus brings forward, in his desire\r\nto throw discredit upon Christianity, is, that the Christians\r\nentered into secret associations with each other contrary to\r\nlaw, saying, that “of associations some are public, and that\r\nthese are in accordance with the laws; others, again, secret,\r\nand maintained in violation of the laws.” And his wish is to\r\nbring into disrepute what are termed the “love-feasts”<a id=\"r1137\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f1137\"><sup>[1137]</sup></a> of\r\nthe Christians, as if they had their origin in the common\r\ndanger, and were more binding than any oaths. Since, then,\r\nhe babbles about the public law, alleging that the associations\r\nof the Christians are in violation of it, we have to reply, that\r\nif a man were placed among Scythians, whose laws were unholy,<a id=\"r1138\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f1138\"><sup>[1138]</sup></a>\r\nand having no opportunity of escape, were compelled\r\nto live among them, such an one would with good reason, for\r\nthe sake of the law of truth, which the Scythians would\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_399\">399</span>regard as wickedness,<a id=\"r1139\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f1139\"><sup>[1139]</sup></a> enter into associations contrary to their\r\nlaws, with those like-minded with himself; so, if truth is\r\nto decide, the laws of the heathens which relate to images,\r\nand an atheistical polytheism, are “Scythian” laws, or more\r\nimpious even than these, if there be any such. It is not\r\nirrational, then, to form associations in opposition to existing\r\nlaws, if done for the sake of the truth. For as those persons\r\nwould do well who should enter into a secret association in\r\norder to put to death a tyrant who had seized upon the\r\nliberties of a state, so Christians also, when tyrannized over by\r\nhim who is called the devil, and by falsehood, form leagues\r\ncontrary to the laws of the devil, against his power, and for\r\nthe safety of those others whom they may succeed in persuading\r\nto revolt from a government which is, as it were,\r\n“Scythian,” and despotic.</p>","headings":["The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2","ORIGEN CONTRA CELSUM.","ORIGEN AGAINST CELSUS. BOOK I.","Chapter I."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70561-paragraph-399"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"8664276e88588fbe6b1745931fbe3745e0a899986b81b3134ad6e79c16497343","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1869,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70561-f1137","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1869 English translation; translator died 1889. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f1137","source_ebook":70561,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f1137\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r1137\">1137</a>.  </span><span lang=\"grc\">τὴν καλουμένην ἀγάπην.</span></p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"de125e213d16053354f22b34a1c8d477ac23f201e660e4f4841b2ed7e05bb367","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70561/pg70561-images.html#f1137","text_sha256":"e6df6458827571944d2547e737cb8aa45ea01d48c05edfc8ab8a306be94e45a2","verified":false,"work_id":null}

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