Book V - Snyder Bible

124
Chapter XXII: Responsibility
every one, according as it is decreed to him by fate, either
brethren, into what absurdities Simon has fallen, who before
my coming was teaching that men have it in their power to be
wise and to do what they will, but now, driven into a corner by
the force of my arguments, he denies that man has any power
either of perceiving or of acting; and yet he presumes to profess
himself to be a teacher! But tell me how then Yahweh
judges according to truth every one for his doings, if men have
it not in their own power to do anything? If this opinion he
held, all things are torn up by the roots; vain will be the desire
of following after goodness; yea, even in vain do the judges of
the world administer laws and punish those who do amiss, for
they had it not in their power not to sin; vain also will be laws
of nations which assign penalties to evil deeds. Miserable also
will those be who laboriously keep righteousness; but blessed
those who, living in pleasure, exercise tyranny, living in luxury
and wickedness. According to this, therefore, there can be neither
righteousness, nor goodness, nor any virtue, nor, as you
would have it, any Elohim. But, O Simon, I know why you have
spoken thus: truly because you wished to avoid inquiry, lest
you should be openly confuted; and therefore you say that it is
not in the power of man to perceive or to discern anything.
But if this had really been your opinion, you would not surely,
before my coming, have professed yourself before the people
to be a teacher. I say, therefore, that man is under his own
at is the meaning of being un-
Chapter XXIII: Origin of Evil
r compulsion
from you, but at the request of the hearers. The power of