Be that as it may, our God will not lord it over us that certain things do not befit him. The creator of the universe came to earth in a poor home and did not have a place to lay His head. He did not command chariots to carry him about his daily employment or palaces to make his abode.

And finally, if you want a definition of blasphemy so that you use that definition in bible context, why not get the definition from the bible itself?

In John 10:33 the jews were about to stone Jesus for blasphemy. They told him 'for a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy and because that thou, being a man makest thyself God.' So blasphemy is making yourself God according to the jews and the bible.

In Matthew 26:64-65, the high priest asked Jesus to say if he is the Christ. When Jesus admits, he is accused of blasphemy.

In Matthew 9:1-3 when Jesus forgives someone his sins, he is accused of blasphemy.

Therefore we can conclude that dictionary definition of blasphemy that you are qouting here is hogwash and irrelevant. Blasphemy is calling yourself God, the Christ / Messiah and saying you can forgive sins.

Therefore your claims of the bible blaspheming against our God is baseless and frankly a misrepresentation of facts. A polite way of saying you lie.

Oh, one more thing about the images. There are also have images of Jesus with nicely combed & flowing (probably shampooed) blonde hair with a handsome smooth pink face without a single pimple or eyebrow out of line and with a nicely trimmed beard. I wonder what Isaiah said about that in chapter 53:2.

What other misconception do you have that I might have missed?

@ ALPHA, am not argueing, but am a mere seeker of the truth. You are the expert. got it? you are teaching me,see?

You have a way of avoiding things.

we were not in an argument.... it is not about me... it is about matters arising from ISLAM...... Now you want us to go to another topic "trinity"?......not yet my friend. I just cautioned that the verse you quoted is one of the FOUNDATIONS OF THE TRINITY.....if it is SINFULL to BLASPHEME against the HOLYSPIRIT, then the HOLYSPIRIT is GOD.....Do you believe in the holy spirit?.......

and yes, am a fluent English speaker, cum writer. I studied english for 16 years, and was taught that some words have more than one meaning...and that the meanings are derived from the context of the sentence. And after checking out the original scripts in the hebrew language,

The plural of cherub (Noun).
- A winged angelic being described in biblical tradition as attending on God. It is represented in ancient Middle Eastern art as a lion or bull with eagles' wings and a human face, and regarded in traditional Christian angelology as an angel of the second highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy is the most correct meaning....so do not try to force this convoluted meaning....A representation of a cherub in art, depicted as a chubby, healthy-looking child with wings
- A beautiful or innocent-looking child...you are changing God's word to suit your man made arguement...

Contrast with this the expression used in Psalms 78:65: MAN!!!! donn't you appreciate POETRY? Ever heard of POETIC LICENSE? This is what David thinks of his God......Just the way Apostle John though that GOD IS LOVE...obviously the attributes of God far Surpasses our LIMITED MINDS.....Just to quote Apostle Paul...'God's foolishness, is wiser than Man's wisdom..... Does God have any foolishness in him? No, that is blasphemy...yet he is wiser than all the wise men combined, for he is the source of all knowledge...

NOW, KINDLY TELL US WHICH OF THE BIBLICAL BOOKS ISLAM RECOGNIZES AS THE TRUE WORD OF GOD

@alustaadh may yo be guided to the truth by your seeking knowledge.

Trinity is not part scripture revealed by God.
This is one of those inovations by men, which has crept into the scipture as corruption.

Many cling to doctrine without finding out the real truth about it.
But you owe to yourself at least find out and know that it is not God's teaching:
- No prophet taught this doctrine
- Adam, Enoch, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Aron, Moses, David, Solomon, Job, Ezekiel, Jonah, Elias, Elisha, Zakarias, John, Jesus, and Muhammad never taught it (peace be upon them all)

If you do not believe me, research on the Nicene Creed and origin of the Trinity.



Trinity is not in the Bible
- You cannot use the scriptures to discuss the Trinity
- Do you know why? Because they do not prove a trinity.
- Trinity means "THREE".

If Trinity is not in Bible then where did you get it from? Let's see what the scripture says:

Deut 6:4-5:
Moses says: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (KJV ~1611)

1 Chronicles 17:20 Prophet of God says:
Oh Lord, there's none thee.

Mark 12:28 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is
Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One. Love Him with all your heart, all your mind, all your body.

Isaiah 44:6 God speaking through Isaiah directly saying:
I'm the only one

Jesus confirmed this
Matt 5:17-19:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law (Hebrew - Torah), or the prophets:
- I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
- For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law (Torah), till all be fulfilled.
- Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:
- but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

God said this to David:
Psalms 19:7:
The law given to Moses is perfect.

But the agent of Romans, Paul, said the opposite:
- Hebrew 7:18: The law that came with Moses is weak and useless!!!
- Phil 1:19: He, Paul will pay for what he wrote by his own hand.

THE ORIGIN OF TRINITY

So the original Nicene Creed was first adopted in 325 at the First Council of Nicaea.
At that time, the text ended after the words "We believe in the Holy Spirit".


So was Jesus around at the time? No.
Did you know that it was the Romans who came up with the tenets of Christianity?
Did Jesus preach about trinity? No.

So if you're a Christian, then you ascribe to below tenets, which were created by men, not God.
- The Trinity
- Salvation by death on the Cross
- His Sonship of God
- Original Sin

In fact, these ideas came up when they changed the Bible, several years after Jesus went to heaven
- at the Council of Nicaea, led by Constantine the Great.
- They chose the above things by voting (like our Mpigs)
- Then they burnt all original Scrolls. No traces of them now!!
- That's why when people read new things compiled in the new Bible, the protested
- And they were prosecuted by one guy called Saul (you know him, of course, it's your Paul)

So is there Holy Spirit in Islam?
Quran 17:85 says:
"They ask thee concerning the Spirit (of inspiration). Say: "The Spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)"

GOD Almighty is neither a trinity, nor duality, nor plural in Islam:
- "They do blaspheme who say: God is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them." (Quran, 5:73)
- "Say: He is God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him." (Quran, 112:1-4)
- "Say: 'O People of the Book (i.e., Jews and Christians)! Come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah.' If then they turn back, say ye: 'Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will).'" (Quran, 3:64)

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Islam:
There are two roles that the Holy Spirit is responsible for according to Islam:

1). For creating our "spirits"
God Almighty uses the Holy Spirit to blow into our mothers' wombs our human-spirits
- "But He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His Spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give!" (Quran, 32:9)
- "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My Spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him." (Quran, 38:72)
- "And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples." (Quran, 21:91)
- "And Mary the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our Spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants)." (Quran, 66:12)

2). To provide Divine Guidance to Believers, those whom God Loves and Favors.
NOTE: It is not only the Holy Spirit that gives Guidance. Also Angels too give.
"Say, the Holy Spirit has brought the Revelation from thy Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims." (Quran, 16:102)

Summary
In Islam, The Holy Spirit refers to the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel);
He is the message-bearer from God;

For the Topic at Hand(Life under Islamic rule),

According to Muslims the highest calling in life ,for them, is to aspire to be like Muhammad.This is to be done according to the Hadiths and The Sira(Biography of theProphet).However, a large number of his actions are deemed illegal even in societies such as Saudi Arabia.Taliban , Al Shabaab etc however are undeterredand are willing to implement this calling to the letter.Thus life under Islam cannot be fully explored without considering life under the people who have implemented Islamic Tenets/jurisprudence
to the letter.



Blasphemy,

Seeing there is no middleground on the real meaning of blasphemy.Here are a few things to consider"
(i)Blaspheming Prophet Muhammad is unpardonable.
(ii)Blaspheming Allah can be forgiven through repentance(according to several Imam's teach this)
The reasoning behind (i) and (ii)is that Muhammad is no longer living and therefore unable to forgive the offender)
(iii)THe Quran if desecrated is considered an act of blapsheming.


My question would be is it possible to blapsheme a man or scriptures?



Anthropomorphism.

Face,

“And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.” Qur’an 55:027:

“So wait patiently (O Muhammad SAW) for the Decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes , and glorify the Praises of your Lord when you get up from sleep.Qur’an 052:048:”
Translation of Al-Qur’an 054:014:
“Floating under Our Eyes, a reward for him who had been rejected!"Qur’an 54:014:

Hand,
“They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified is He,
and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him!” Qur’an 39:067:
“Verily, those who give pledge to you (O Muhammad SAW) they are giving Baia (pledge) to Allah. The Hand of Allah is over their hands. Then whosoever breaks his pledge, breaks only to his own harm, and whosoever fulfills what he has covenanted with Allah, He will bestow on him a great reward.” Qur’an 48:010:

Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 511:
Narrated ‘Abdullah:
A man from the people of the scripture came to the Prophet and said, “O Abal-Qasim! Allah will hold the Heavens upon a Finger, and the Earth on a Finger and the land
on a Finger, and all the creation on a Finger, and will say, ‘I am the King! I am the King!’ ” I saw the Prophet (after hearing that), smiling till his premolar
teeth became visible, and he then recited: — ‘No just estimate have they made of Allah such as due to him… (39.67)

Ability to write

“And We wrote for him on the Tablets the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all things (and said): Hold unto these with firmness, and enjoin
your people to take the better therein. I shall show you the home of Al-Fasiqoon (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah).”



Ability to seat

“And the angels will be on its sides, and eight angels will, that Day, bear the Throne of your Lord above them.”
Qur’an 69:017:

(Sounds similar to Cherubs carrying thrones)
Various translations of Al-Qur’an 57:004:
Yusuf Ali: (Allah) Most Gracious is firmly established on the throne (of authority).


Visibility

Some faces that Day shall be Nadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allah); And some faces, that Day, will be Basirah (dark, gloomy, frowning, and sad),
Thinking that some calamity was about to fall on them;”Qur’an 72:22-25:



The Bible makes such claims but the way I understand it; is that since God appears in flesh this need not be absurdities.


Chapter 112:1-4 (Sura Al-Ikhlas - The Purity of Faith)
I n t h e n ame o f A l l a h , M o s t G r a c i o u s , M o s t M e r c i f u l .
1. Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
2. Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
3. He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
4. And there is none like unto Him.


The opening line sounds ok but is until you consider that Allah is Al-‘Adl (The All-Just).Thus He is Most JUst,Most Merciful and Most Gracious.7

Check definitions of the first two.
Assuming a person trangresses:
Justice means giving the person exactly what He/she deserves.


Mercy means giving the person less than what He/she deserves.

Thus the first statement is Illogical.

3.above is irrational as a Creator cannot be involved in reproduction.



Trinity or not,

Factoring your argument that christian scriptures are being altered every now and then,wouldn't they have inserted such a key word by now?


No single culture or society that I have read about worshiped one deity including muslims.

On the trinity,

Hebrews 1:1-3 makes a distinction between the father and the son.

This is also in John 1:1-4. Jesus constantly makes this point though he adds as in John 10:30 that He and His Father are one.

Unless you intentionally go ahead and deliberately misinterpret to mislead others, He and His father are one. Otherwise, point out when they ever disagreed between themselves even once. Or where one opposed the other.

This is further elaborated in Rev 5:6-7. There are 2 distinct persons one of whom (being described as a lamb) approaches and takes a book out of the hand of the other who is seated on the throne.

Lets add the 3rd person now.

2 Cor 13:14. Talks about the love of God (who gave his only begotten son) the grace of the Lord Jesus, (who redeemed man from sin by dying in his stead) and the communion of the Holy Ghost (whom Jesus sent as a helper to his followers).

In perfect harmony with 1 Peter 1:2 that explains further the relationship between the Father, Son and the spirit.

There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.

As you can see, I get my arguments (premises and conclusions) from the bible and bible only. I will continue doing that.

I have not even read that nicene creed of yours. What is it about? Why should I bother with it when the bible has everything?

To add to the post #29.

Who on this earth has the daring motive against the divinity of Jesus? Has he got the opportunity (in newer revisions)? Has he acted on it?

Do you know the author of Hebrew? This should make you thinking.

@YesuWangu This is exactly what I'm trying to make you understand. That people have interpreted the scripture to suit them.

Jesus never said he's equal to God
When he said I and the Father are one, he did not mean they are the same thing "physically", but in mission. Just like saying me and you are one in this.

My friend, Trinity does not exist
Otherwise, explain to me if below English words do not mean literally, but they mean something else:
1. John 14:28 - Jesus says: My father is greater than I.
2. John 10:29 - Jesus says: My Father is greater than all.
3. Matt 12:18 - Jesus says: I cast out devils with the spirit of God.
4. Luke 11:20 - Jesus says: I with the finger of God cast out devils.
5. John 05:30 - Jesus says: I can't of my own do nothing. AS I hear, I judge. For I speak not of my will, but the will of my Father.
6. Mark 13:32 - Jesus says: No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the son, but only the Father.
7. Luke 4:8 - Jesus says: It is written: 'worship the Lord your God and serve Him only'
8. Luke 11:2 - Jesus says: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
NOTE: Not my will, but God's will

9. Matt 7:21 - Jesus says: None of those who call me lord will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
NOTE: Question is, are you doing God's Will?

That is why I tell you, Muslims are guided by true teachings of all prophets, including Jesus peace be upon him.
Quran 1:4 - You alone we worship, you alone we ask for help.

Anyone who says, not my will but God will is a Muslim
Muslim means the one submits his will to the will of God.
Jesus Christ says, not my will but God's will.

Tell me: was Jesus a Christian? Which church did he belonged to?

What do Muslims believe about Jesus?
- He was a Muslim, and he was one of the mightiest messenger of God.
- We believe that he was born miraculously without any male intervention.
- We believe he gave life to the death with God's permission.
- We beleive he healed those born blind & deaf with God's permission.
- We respect Jesus Christ as one of the mightiest messengers of God
- But he's not God and he's not a part of a trinity.
- Trinity does not exist


You do not think it is necessary to find out the truth? No wonder many are misled by the church, and we see trends like this

Am I doing the will of the Father?

What a question!

What is the will of the father?

Could it be found in 1 Tim 2:3-4? But we have already established who the truth is right?

Or is his will the one found in 2 Peter 3:9?

Or wait, is it in John 6:40?

So does His will in whichever verse include Jesus somewhere & somehow in it?

Maybe you should be the one asking yourself that question.

You claim you are doing the will of God, but are you? You claim you worship Him but want nothing to do with the Jesus part of His will.

And you dont even try hide that how you trample His will underfoot. I am wondering who would love it if people believe Jesus were not God? Satan perhaps? Is there anybody he has made believe Jesus is not God?

As for the link I have been the greatest critic of christians here in wazua. I need not go over that again here. Focus, lets focus.

SOME MYTHS....
But the agent of Romans, Paul, said the opposite......

Paul Died in 67 AD, in Rome, as a result of beheading ordered by Emperor NERO. On the other hand, The Roman catholic church came into existence in 380 AD, some 300 years after the death of Paul!There is no way Paul could have been an agent of the catholic church!

During his life time, he worked with some of the Original 12 disciples of Jesus:

PETER: The first Leader of Christians living in Jerusalem, the first person to preach about Jesus, and the Author of 2 books of the New testament.

JAMES: The biological brother to Jesus and Author of 1 book of the New testament

JOHN: The disciple whom Jesus loved most, Author of 5 New testament books,and who took care of Mary mother of Jesus, after the death of Jesus. He outlived Apostle Paul by 37 years and died in 100 AD

MARK: Author of 1 new testament book, who worked briefly with Paul.......

But the agent of Romans, Paul, said the opposite:
- Hebrew 7:18: The law that came with Moses is weak and useless!!!
- Phil 1:19: He, Paul will pay for what he wrote by his own hand.

Paul could not have changed the bible, in his lifetime, since most of the Original 12 disciples of Jesus were still alive, and would have corrected him. Since there is no written record pertaining to such corrections, it should be assumed that Peter, the leader of the Christians approved what paul taught.

Given that paul was beheaded for being a christian, and peter was crucified on the cross upside down, and that John was immersed in a pot full of boiling oil, which never harmed him anyway, it is safe to assume that they were sure about what they preached to the point of death.

In fact, these ideas came up when they changed the Bible, several years after Jesus went to heaven

The Old testament had been in use for 300 years before Jesus was born. Jesus used it too, and often quoted from it extensively. The Jewish scholars also had several copies of the old testament, which they used in their synagogues to this day. No one would dare change these scriptures....not even paul.

however, the law of Moses as outlined in the Pentateuch is not the same as that in the Quran. The best example is the Amputation of hands....in the old testament, a thief simply had to refund what he had stolen and pay an additional fine of 20%.

The books of the New testament are relatively young, dating from 50 AD to 70 AD. they existed as separate volumes for over 300 years until when the Roman catholic church compiled them into one volume.

The alleged change of the ingil started many years, 7 BC to 6 BC by two prophets: ISAIAH and JEREMIAH through a series of prophecies heralding RELIGIOUS REFORMS. (Jeremiah ch.31 vs 31-34) talks about a new covenant,which also means NEW TESTAMENT, which replaced the old covenant(TESTAMENT) instituted by THE LAW OF MOSSES. Prophet Isaiah goes a head to talk about the characteristics of the person who would usher in the new testament. (see Isaiah ch 9 vs 6-7, his mission in ch 49 vs 1-6, Isaiah ch 50 vs 4-11, Isaiah ch 53 vs 1-12, Isaiah ch.61 vs 1-2) just to mention a few. By the time Jesus started preaching, he was aware of these prophecies, and indeed Identified himself with them (Luke ch.4 vs 16-21).

we can now see that the change of the ingil started 700 years before Paul, and Jesus himself was actively involved in changing the ingil most of the teachings of Paul were based on the writings of these two prophets, who were well recognized by the religious authorities of those days. It is for this reason that the Original 12 disciples of Jesus NEVER OPPOSED Paul's teachings.
DOES ISLAM RECOGNIZE PROPHETS ISAIAH and JEREMIAH? But Jesus did.

His Life
Paul is actually an unknown character. There is no history of a man called Paul or Saul. Nobody can actually confirm who Paul was. Nobody has actually identified Paul or Saul for that matter. We don’t even know his full name. Therefore, we do not know whether Paul was an actual person or simply a fictitious character in a story like Harry Porter written by an unknown author who takes on the name Paul


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul
Paul the Apostle (c. AD 5 – c. AD 67; variously referred to as "the Apostle Paul" or "Saint Paul"),[3] also known as Saul of Tarsus,[4] is perhaps the most influential early Christian missionary. The writings ascribed to him by the church (the Pauline epistles) form a considerable portion of the New Testament. The influence on Christian thinking of the epistles ascribed to him has been significant,[5][6] due in part to his association as a prominent apostle of Christianity during the spreading of the Gospel through early Christian communities across the Roman Empire

In June 2009, Pope Benedict announced excavation results concerning the tomb of Paul at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. The sarcophagus was not opened but was examined by means of a probe, which revealed pieces of incense, purple and blue linen, and small bone fragments. The bone was radiocarbon dated to the 1st or 2nd century. According to the Vatican, these findings are consistent with the traditional claim that the tomb is Paul's.[78]

OK over with the superficial stuff.
what do you think about this stuff? (it is a cut and copy job)

I've often said that DELIVERANCE was a regular part of the early church because that is what I heard or read. Well, Buz Milosh of Warrior Ministries has some excellent little books, and in "INTRODUCING DELIVERANCE" he has the following:

"EVIDENCES OF DELIVERANCE IN EARLY CHURCH HISTORY - Casting out demons or evil spirits was routinely practiced in the early church.

Irenaeus Against Heresies, Book II, 32:4 (190 A.D.) - "For some (Christians do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe and join themselves to the church." DELIVERANCE is also implied to be done by Christians in Book II, 31:2.

Justin Martyr, Second Apology, Ch. 8 (153 A.D.) - This apology was addressed to the Roman Senate. "And they (demons), having been shut up in eternal fire, shall suffer their just punishment and penalty. For if they are even now overthrown by men through the Name of Jesus Christ, this is an intimation of the punishment in eternal fire which is to be inflicted on themselves and those who serve them."

Second Apology, Ch. 6 - "And now you (Roman Senate) can learn this from what is under your own observation. For numberless demoniacs throughout the whole world, and in your city, many of our Christian men exorcising them in the Name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, have healed and do heal, rendering helpless and driving the demons out of men, though they could not be cured by all the other exorcists, and those who used incantations and drugs."

Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho, a Jew, Ch. 30 (150 A.D.) - "For we call Him (Jesus) Helper and Redeemer, the power of whose name even the demons do fear; and at this day, when they are exorcised in the Name of Jesus Christ, they are overcome."

Dialogue With Trypho, Ch. 76 - "And now we, who believe on our Lord Jesus, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, when we exorcise all demons and evil spirits, have them subjected to us."

Dialogue With Trypho, Ch. 85 - "For every demon, when exorcised in the Name of this very Son of God...is overcome and subdued. But though you exorcise any demon in the name of any of those who were amongst you--either kings, righteous men, or prophets or patriarchs--it will not be subject to you. Now assuredly your (Jewish) exorcists, I have said, make use of this craft when they exorcise, even as the Gentiles do, and employ fumigations and incantations."

Tatian, Address of Tatian to the Greeks, Ch. 16 (160 A.D.) - "Sometimes they themselves (demons) disturb the habit of the body by a tempest of folly; but, being smitten by the Word of God, they depart in terror, and the sick man is healed."

Theophilus, Theophilus to Autolycus, Book II. 8 (160-180 A.D.) - Theophilus is refuting the false teachings of Homer and Hesiod who were famous Greek poets. "...And this clearly appears from the fact, that even to this day the demonized are sometimes exorcised in the Name of the living and true God and these spirits of error themselves confess that they are demons who also formerly inspired these writers (Homer and Hesiod)."

Tertullian, Apology, Ch. 23 (197 A.D.) - "Let a person be brought before your tribunals; who is plainly under demonic possession. The wicked spirit, BIDDEN TO SPEAK by a follower of Christ, will as readily make the truthful confession that he is a demon, as elsewhere he has falsely asserted that he is a god."

Tertullian, Apology, Ch. 37 - "Who would save you (Roman Rulers), I mean, from the attacks of those spirits of evil, which without reward or hire we (Christians) exorcise?"

Tertullian, To Scapula, Ch. 4 - "The clerk of one of the courts who was liable to be thrown upon the ground by an evil spirit, was set free from his affliction (by Christians); as was also the relative of another, and the little boy of a third. How many men of rank (to say nothing of common people) have been DELIVERED from demons, and healed of diseases?"

Minucius Felix, The Octavious of Minucius Felix (210 A.D.) - "A great many, even some of your own people, know all those things that the demons themselves confess concerning themselves, as often as they are driven by us (Christians) from bodies by the torments of our words and by the fires of our prayer." (The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. IV, p. 190).

Origen, Against Celsus, Book I, 46 (230-254) A.D.) - "And there are still preserved among Christians traces of that Holy Spirit which appeared in the form of a dove. The Christians expel evil spirits, and perform many cures, and foresee certain events, according to the will of the Logos."

Against Celsus, Book I, 67 - "And the Name of Jesus can still remove distractions from the minds of men, and expel demons, and also take away diseases and produce a complete change of character..."

Lactentius, The Divine Institutes, Book II, 16 (250-320 A.D.) - "But they (demons) fear the righteous, that is, the worshipers of God, adjured by whose name they depart from the bodies (of people); for being lashed by the Christians' words, they not only confess to be demons, but even utter their own names." Also DELIVERANCE is mentioned in Book V., 22, and in The Epitome of the Divine Institutes, Ch. 51. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecturer, 16:12 (350-375 A.D.) - "For He (Holy Spirit) employs the tongue of one man for wisdom; the soul of another He enlightens by prophecy, to another He gives power to drive away demons..."

The Divine Institutes, Book V, 22 - "For these (demons), as long as there is peace among the people of God, flee from the righteous, and fear them; and when they seize upon the bodies of men, and house their souls, they are adjured by the Christians, and at the Name of the true God are put to flight. For when the demons hear of this name they tremble, cry out, and assert that they are branded and beaten; and being asked who they are, whence they are come, and how they have insinuated themselves INTO a man, confess it. Thus, being tortured and excruciated by the power of the Divine Name, they come out of the man."