Behold, all his fellows shall be put to shame: and the workmen, they are mere men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be put to shame together.
Read Chapter 44
Athanasius the Apostolic
AD 373
How could he fail to pity them in this also, seeing that they worship them that cannot see. In hearing, they pray to them that cannot hear. Born with life and reason, people, as they are, call gods things that do not move at all but do not even have life. Strangest of all, do they serve as their masters beings whom they themselves keep under their own power? - "Against the Heathen 13.4"
When, however, the Scripture terms them [gods] that are not gods, it does not declare them as gods in every sense but with a certain addition and signification, by which they are shown to be no gods at all, as with David, “The gods of the heathens are idols of demons” and “You shall not follow other gods.” For in the fact that he says “the God of the heathen,” yet the heathen are ignorant of the true God, and he calls them “other gods,” he thereby bars their claim [to be looked on] as gods at all. But as to what they are in their own person, he speaks concerning them, “for they are,” he says, “the idols of demons.” And Isaiah says, “Let them be confounded, all who blaspheme God and carve useless things; even I am witness, says God.” He removes them from [the category of] gods, but he makes use of the word alone, for this [purpose] that we may know of whom he speaks. - "Against Heresies 3.6.3"
