For what other form do they give them when they carve them except the form of men and women, or of creatures still lower than these and irrational by nature—every kind of bird, four-footed animal both tame and wild, and creeping thing, whatever the land, the sea, and the whole realm of the waters produces?
Human beings fell into the irrationality of passions and pleasures and saw nothing beyond pleasure and the desires of the flesh. Because they kept their minds among these irrational things, they imagined the Divine in irrational things as well. According to the variety of their own passions, they carved so many gods. Thus among them are images of four-footed animals, creeping things, and birds, just as the interpreter of divine and true piety says: “They became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them over to dishonorable passions.”
For after their soul had first suffered from the irrationalities of pleasure, as I said before, they fell into this making of gods. Once they had fallen, they then wallow in these things as people handed over after turning away from God, and they portray God, the Father of the Word, in irrational forms.
Those among the Greeks who are called philosophers and learned men, when exposed on this point, do not deny that the gods visible among them are forms and images of human beings and irrational creatures. But in defense they say that they possess such images so that through them the Divine may answer them and appear to them. Otherwise, they say, they could not know the invisible God except through such statues and rites.
Others, who think they are still more philosophical and speak more profoundly, say that these objects were prepared and fashioned for the invocation and manifestation of divine angels and powers. By appearing through them, these beings are supposed to teach people about the knowledge of God. The images, they say, are like letters for human beings: by referring to them, people can learn to apprehend God from the manifestation of the divine angels that takes place through them.
These are the things they mythologize; they are not doing theology—may it never be! But if anyone examines the argument carefully, he will find that their opinion is no less false than those already shown to be false.
For what other form do they give them when they carve them except the form of men and women, or of creatures still lower than these and irrational by nature—every kind of bird, four-footed animal both tame and wild, and creeping thing, whatever the land, the sea, and the whole realm of the waters produces?
Human beings fell into the irrationality of passions and pleasures and saw nothing beyond pleasure and the desires of the flesh. Because they kept their minds among these irrational things, they imagined the Divine in irrational things as well. According to the variety of their own passions, they carved so many gods.
Thus among them are images of four-footed animals, creeping things, and birds, just as the interpreter of divine and true piety says: “They became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them over to dishonorable passions.”
For after their soul had first suffered from the irrationalities of pleasure, as I said before, they fell into this making of gods. Once they had fallen, they then wallow in these things as people handed over after turning away from God, and they portray God, the Father of the Word, in irrational forms.
Those among the Greeks who are called philosophers and learned men, when exposed on this point, do not deny that the gods visible among them are forms and images of human beings and irrational creatures. But in defense they say that they possess such images so that through them the Divine may answer them and appear to them. Otherwise, they say, they could not know the invisible God except through such statues and rites.
Others, who think they are still more philosophical and speak more profoundly, say that these objects were prepared and fashioned for the invocation and manifestation of divine angels and powers. By appearing through them, these beings are supposed to teach people about the knowledge of God. The images, they say, are like letters for human beings: by referring to them, people can learn to apprehend God from the manifestation of the divine angels that takes place through them.
These are the things they mythologize; they are not doing theology—may it never be! But if anyone examines the argument carefully, he will find that their opinion is no less false than those already shown to be false.