Consequently, the apostle remarked regarding the Gentiles: ‘According to the vanity of their minds’ (Eph. 4:17). But isn’t this also a form of belief for them? Do they not bow before trees and stones? The Creator made the sun to illuminate our way as a lamp does. Who, then, worships a mere lamp? The sun emanates light on its own; when it does not shine, we rely on the lamp for illumination. Hence, why do you not honor the lampstand instead? Another may argue, I revere the lamp. It’s impossible not to laugh at such a lack of honor; does this not cause you embarrassment? Additionally, why do you extinguish that which you venerate? What is it that you demolish, what is it that you slay in your god? Why not allow it to fill your home with its presence? If fire is considered divine, then bring your body to it, and do not treat your god as if it were a mere pot or cauldron. Bring it into your storeroom, into your place of luxurious garments. Yet not only do you not bring it close, but if it accidentally enters your space, you force it out, calling everyone to help, crying and wailing as if a beast had entered your home; and when your god visits, you deem it the greatest tragedy. I have a God, and I make every effort to embrace Him, counting it a joy not only when He visits my house, but also when I draw Him into my very heart. Draw this fire into your heart as well. Such an idea is foolishness and vanity! Fire serves a purpose; it is for use, not for worship, meant for service and servitude to me, not for mastery over me. It exists for my benefit, not I for its. If you worship fire, why do you lie down on your bed and make your cook wait before your god? You should aspire to be a cook, a baker, or perhaps a blacksmith; nothing should be more esteemed than these trades, for your god himself oversees them. Why do you elevate an occupation where your god is so actively engaged? Why delegate this task to servants and do not reserve this honor for yourself? Fire, being fashioned by a good Creator, is beneficial but it is not a deity. It is regarded as a creation of God, but it is not divine. Do you not observe its uncontainable nature, how it spreads throughout a house and does not stop? When it encounters a line of objects, it consumes them all until quenching occurs by the hands of carpenters or others; it knows neither friends nor foes, treating all alike. Is this indeed your god, and you feel no shame? Truly, the apostle spoke wisely, ‘According to the vanity of their minds.’ Yet they argue that our god is the sun. And why is this so? Is it because it provides great light? But do you not see how it is eclipsed by clouds, subject to the law of natural necessity, obscured by the moon and clouds? Although a cloud is weaker than the sun, it often gains the upper hand, all part of God’s wise design. God is pleased with the entirety of His creation, yet the sun requires many conditions to function; it is not an attribute exclusive to God. Thus, the sun needs air to shine, specifically thinner air, as dense air obstructs its rays. It also requires water and other elements to moderate its effects, preventing it from causing fire. Without springs, lakes, rivers, and seas that produce moisture through evaporation, the sun would scorch everything in its wake. So, what kind of god is this? What folly! What humor! Because it potentially causes harm, they regard it as a god. In truth, that very fact disqualifies it, for to inflict damage does not require assistance, while to be beneficial necessitates numerous conditions. It is not the nature of God to harm; rather, His essence is to do good. Yet, if we assert the opposite regarding the sun, how could it then be god? Don’t you see how toxic substances can inflict harm without aid, while doing good manifestly requires many contributions? The sun is both beautiful and limited for you: beautiful so that you may recognize the Lord, limited so that you cannot name it as your master. It is said that it nourishes plants and seeds. Does that mean feces could also be divine? It nourishes plants as well. Should we credit the sickle and farmers for their cultivation too? Show me where the sun independently causes plants to grow without soil, water, or a farmer’s toil; let it sow seeds and warm them with its rays, producing grain for us. If it is not solely responsible but depends on rain, then why is water not considered divine? This, however, is not the primary issue. Why is the earth not a deity? Why are manure and tools not considered gods? Why, I ask, should all these elements be revered? What absurdity! Meanwhile, a grain of corn is more likely to sprout without sunlight than without earth and water, as well as trees and other necessities. Without soil, nothing can grow. If someone were to fill a clay pot, just as children and women do, with earth along with the necessary manure and set it inside, plants may still develop, albeit faintly. Thus, earth and manure are vital, and they should be honored more than the sun. To prevent the sun from causing harm, one requires the sky, the air, and abundant water to temper its wild nature and keep its rays from getting out of control. But tell me once more, where does your sun go at night? Where does this god of yours conceal itself? It is not characteristic of God to be bound or limited; such traits belong solely to physical entities. However, they claim there is some power within it that enables movement. I ask again, is this power a god? Why is that power inadequate to restrain fire? I reiterate my previous question: what is this power? Is it the power of light, or does it shine merely through the sun without being part of it? If so, then the sun surpasses it. We have yet to untangle this maze. Moreover, they assert that water is also divine. Here we encounter another point of view, truly laughable! Why do they claim water is not a god, given its many uses? They express the same about the earth. Behold, those who insist on this are truly ‘according to the vanity of their minds, darkened in their understanding’ (Eph. 4:17).
