Against Celsus 1.9

After this he urges us to accept doctrines by following reason and a rational guide, since deception always occurs when someone assents to people without this. And he likens those who believe without reason to the begging priests of Cybele and soothsayers, to devotees of Mithras and Sabazius, and to whatever one may happen upon—apparitions of Hecate or of some other demon or demons. For as among those, he says, wicked men often take advantage of the simplicity of the easily deceived and lead them where they wish, so it happens also among Christians. He says that some, not even wishing to give or receive a reason for what they believe, use the sayings "Do not examine, but believe" and "Your faith will save you." And he says that they say: "The wisdom in the world is an evil, and foolishness a good." To this we must say that if it were possible for all to leave the business of life and devote their time to philosophy, no one should pursue any other way but this alone. For in Christianity there will be found—not to say anything vulgar—no less examination of what is believed, and explanation of the riddles in the prophets, of the parables in the Gospels, and of countless other things done or legislated symbolically. But if this is impossible, partly because of the necessities of life and partly because of human weakness, since very few rush toward reason, what better method could be found for helping the many than the one handed down to the nations by Jesus? And we ask about the multitude of believers who have put away the great flood of wickedness in which they used to wallow: is it better for them, believing without reason, to have had their characters somehow reformed and to have been helped by their belief about those punished for sins and honored for good works, or not to admit their conversion with simple faith until they give themselves to the examination of arguments? For clearly all but a very few would not receive even what they have received from simply believing, but would remain in a most wicked life. If, then, anything else establishes that the love of humanity in the teaching has not come to dwell in human life without God, this too must be counted with it. For a devout person will not think that even a physician of bodies, who has brought many sick people to health, dwells in cities and nations without God; for nothing good happens among human beings without God. And if the one who has healed the bodies of many, or improved them, does not heal without God, how much more the one who has healed and converted and improved the souls of many, attached them to the God over all, and taught them to refer every action to what pleases him and to avoid everything displeasing to God, down to the least of what is said or done or even comes into the mind?