{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">Come, then, after you have freed<a id=\"r1466\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1466\"><sup>[1466]</sup></a> yourself from all prejudices\r\npossessing your mind, and laid aside what you have\r\nbeen accustomed to, as something apt to deceive<a id=\"r1467\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1467\"><sup>[1467]</sup></a> you, and\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_304\">304</span>being made, as if from the beginning, a new man, inasmuch\r\nas, according to your own confession, you are to be the\r\nhearer of a new [system of] doctrine; come and contemplate,\r\nnot with your eyes only, but with your understanding, the\r\nsubstance and the form<a id=\"r1468\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1468\"><sup>[1468]</sup></a> of those whom ye declare and deem\r\nto be gods. Is not one of them a stone similar to that on\r\nwhich we tread? Is<a id=\"r1469\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1469\"><sup>[1469]</sup></a> not a second brass, in no way superior\r\nto those vessels which are constructed for our ordinary use?\r\nIs not a third wood, and that already rotten? Is not a fourth\r\nsilver, which needs a man to watch it, lest it be stolen? Is\r\nnot a fifth iron, consumed by rust? Is not a sixth earthenware,\r\nin no degree more valuable than that which is formed\r\nfor the humblest purposes? Are not all these of corruptible\r\nmatter? Are they not fabricated by means of iron and fire?\r\nDid not the sculptor fashion one of them, the brazier a\r\nsecond, the silversmith a third, and the potter a fourth?\r\nWas not every one of them, before they were formed by the\r\narts of these [workmen] into the shape of these [gods], each\r\nin its<a id=\"r1470\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1470\"><sup>[1470]</sup></a> own way subject to change? Would not those things\r\nwhich are now vessels, formed of the same materials, become\r\nlike to such, if they met with the same artificers? Might\r\nnot these, which are now worshipped by you, again be made\r\nby men vessels similar to others? Are they not all deaf?\r\nAre they not blind? Are they not without life? Are they\r\nnot destitute of feeling? Are they not incapable of motion?\r\nAre they not all liable to rot? Are they not all corruptible?\r\nThese things ye call gods; these ye serve; these ye worship;\r\nand ye become altogether like to them. For this reason ye\r\nhate the Christians, because they do not deem <i>these</i> to be\r\ngods. But do not ye yourselves, who now think and suppose\r\n[such to be gods], much more cast contempt upon them than\r\nthey [the Christians do]? Do ye not much more mock and\r\ninsult them, when ye worship those that are made of stone\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_305\">305</span>and earthenware, without appointing any persons to guard\r\nthem; but those made of silver and gold ye shut up by night,\r\nand appoint watchers to look after them by day, lest they be\r\nstolen? And by those gifts which ye mean to present to\r\nthem, do ye not, if they are possessed of sense, rather punish\r\n[than honour] them? But if, on the other hand, they are\r\ndestitute of sense, ye convict them of this fact, while ye\r\nworship them with blood and the smoke of sacrifices. Let\r\nany one of you suffer such indignities!<a id=\"r1471\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1471\"><sup>[1471]</sup></a> Let any one of you\r\nendure to have such things done to himself! But not a\r\nsingle human being will, unless compelled to it, endure such\r\ntreatment, since he is endowed with sense and reason. A\r\nstone, however, readily bears it, seeing it is insensible. Certainly\r\nyou do not show [by your<a id=\"r1472\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1472\"><sup>[1472]</sup></a> conduct] that he [your God]\r\nis possessed of sense. And as to the fact that Christians are\r\nnot accustomed to serve such gods, I might easily find many\r\nother things to say; but if even what has been said does not\r\nseem to any one sufficient, I deem it idle to say anything\r\nfurther.</p>","headings":["The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers","THE EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS.","THE EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS.","Chap. ii.—The vanity of idols."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg77576-paragraph-635"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"b330c9ab567e11db01291af52a4aa2392b1452b692479a69e4ed73e21be5df56","edition_title":"The writings of the Apostolic Fathers","edition_translators":["Alexander Roberts","James Donaldson","Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1870,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg77576-f1467","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. Historical 1870 English edition; electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f1467","source_ebook":77576,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f1467\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r1467\">1467</a>. </span>Literally, “which is deceiving.”</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"5cef11d737d7f5d65aa99f44ca2d8e967d725f3bed872960330e88c0905597a9","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77576/pg77576-images.html#f1467","text_sha256":"8a2ff8faca7efa182303c71fe7b0218ff67a3807ab4ac9ff303eb35644e96228","verified":false,"work_id":null}