Celsus on Christians “Their favorite expressions are 'Do not ask questions, just believe!' and: 'Your faith will save you!’” "They are really very dishonest, borrowing even their incantations from other religions in their magic acts." "By the fact that they themselves admit that (only the ignorant and uneducated) 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." "The cult of Christ is a secret society whose members huddle together in corners for fear of being brought to trial and punishment." "Your fables have not been well enough constructed to conceal this monstrous fiction: I have heard that some of your interpreters ... are on the inconsistencies and, pen in hand, alter the original writings three, four, and several more times over in order to be able to deny the contradictions in the face of criticism." "Look at your god: How can you regard him as a god when as a matter of fact he was not eager to make public anything he professed to do?" ‘the Christian teachers warn, "Keep away from physicians." And to the scum that constitutes their assemblies, they say "Make sure none of you ever obtains knowledge, for too much learning is a dangerous thing: knowledge is a disease for the soul, and the soul that acquires knowledge will perish.”’ "This savior, I shall attempt to show, deceived many and caused them to accept a form of belief harmful to the wellbeing of mankind." "They are agreed, for instance, that outsiders are not to be trusted and that they themselves must remain perpetual apostates from the approved religions." "The Christians are fond of saying that Jesus wanted to be unnoticed, and point to places in their sacred books where Jesus enjoins silence on the demons and those he has healed." On The True Doctrine: A Discourse Against the Christians, Celsus 178 CE