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But how shall we excuse the supine inattention of the…

“But how shall we excuse the supine inattention of the Pagan and philosophic world to those evidences which were presented by the hand of Omnipotence, not to their reason, but to their senses? During the age of Christ, of his apostles, and their first disciples, the doctrine which they preached was…” quote by Edward Gibbon
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“But how shall we excuse the supine inattention of the Pagan and philosophic world to those evidences which were presented by the hand of Omnipotence, not to their reason, but to their senses? During the age of Christ, of his apostles, and their first disciples, the doctrine which they preached was confirmed by innumerable prodigies. The lame walked, the blind saw, the sick were healed, the dead were raised, daemons were expelled, and the laws of Nature were frequently suspended for the benefit of the church.”

Edward Gibbon

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He questions why the pagan and philosophical world ignored divine signs, noting that miracles in Christ’s era seemed to suspend natural laws.

In simple terms: People ignored miracles; they trusted reason over divine signs.

Key Takeaway

Consider both reason and faith when evaluating extraordinary claims.

Themes

faith reason miracles history skepticism

Mood

contemplative skeptical

Type

historical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • religious debates
  • academic research
  • personal belief formation
  • ethical decision making

Key Concepts

Divine intervention historical narrative philosophical critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • Do you trust empirical evidence over personal experience?
  • How do you reconcile faith with reason?
A Different Perspective

Miracles may be metaphorical or exaggerated; not all evidence is empirical.

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