On Idolatry 1

The chief crime of the human race, the highest guilt of the world, the whole cause of judgment, is idolatry. For although each offense keeps its own character, although each is destined for judgment under its own name, yet it is summed up in the crime of idolatry. Set aside the titles and look at the deeds. The idolater is also a murderer. Do you ask whom he has killed? If it adds anything to the grandeur of the charge, not a stranger nor an enemy, but himself. By what snares? Those of his own error. With what weapon? With offense against God. With how many blows? As many as his idolatries. Whoever denies that the idolater has perished will deny that the idolater has committed murder. Likewise you may recognize adultery and debauchery in the same man; for whoever serves false gods is without doubt an adulterer of the truth, because everything false is adultery. So too he is sunk in debauchery. For who that works together with unclean spirits does not go about defiled and debauched? And indeed the holy Scriptures use the language of debauchery in reproaching idolatry. The nature of fraud, I think, is this: if someone seizes what belongs to another or withholds from another what is owed; and fraud committed against a man is surely the name of a very great crime. But idolatry defrauds God, denying him his honors and conferring them on others, so that it joins insult to fraud. And if fraud, as well as debauchery and adultery, brings death, then in these too idolatry is not cleared of the guilt of murder. After such crimes, so destructive, so devouring of salvation, the rest too, each in its own way and set out separately, show their character in idolatry. In it are also the lusts of the world. For what festival of idolatry is there without ambition in dress and ornament? In it are wantonness and drunkenness, since for the most part these festivals are frequented for the sake of food, the belly, and lust. In it is injustice. For what is more unjust than that which does not know the Father of justice? In it too is vanity, since its whole principle is vain. In it is lying, since its whole substance is a lie. So it comes about that everything is found in idolatry, and idolatry in everything. But in another way too: since all offenses savor of opposition to God, and nothing that savors of opposition to God is not assigned to the demons and unclean spirits to whom idols are made over, whoever commits an offense without doubt commits idolatry. For he does what belongs to the owners of the idols.