Refutation of the Sects (1959) - Page 14

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(γ) 17. It is by free will that Arhmn is evil Arhmn (Ahriman) is the personification of evil; Eznik argues he chose to be evil rather than being created that way. 188	63	71
(γ) 18. The devil Mahmi is likewise not evil by nature Mahmi is a demon mentioned in Eznik’s accounts of Zoroastrian myths. 189	63	71
(γ) 19. Regarding the creation of the sun, they hold two contradictory positions 190	63	72
(γ) 20. Arhmn and Ormizd, though enemies, inviting one another to dinner! Eznik mocks the absurdity of myths where the spirits of Good and Evil interact socially. 191	63	72
(γ) 21. The reason for these two versions of the sun’s creation story 192	64	72
(γ) 22. If Ormizd were God, he should have created the sun out of nothing 193	64	72
(γ) 23. The absurdity of their belief in Saviors who are to be born from the seed that Ormizd’s son, while dying, ejaculated into a spring A reference to the Zoroastrian myth of the Saoshyant (Saviors) born from the preserved seed of Zoroaster or other holy figures in a lake. 194	64	73
(γ) 24. How can they hope for resurrection with gods who die? 195	64	73
Conclusion to A: Eznik restates the thesis Concerning the True God original: "De Deo uero" 196	64	73

B. No creature is evil by nature 197-211 | 65 | 73
a. NEITHER RATIONAL BEINGS 198 | 65 | 74
b. NOR IRRATIONAL BEASTS 199-202

            $α$. THERE ARE NOT TWO CREATORS: ONE (ORMIZD) THE CREATOR OF GOOD BEINGS; THE OTHER (ARHMN) THE CREATOR OF EVIL BEINGS 199 | 65 | 74
            $β$. SUPPOSING THERE WERE, HOW WOULD THE GOOD CREATURES FEED THE EVIL ONES? 200 | 65 | 74
            $γ$. SUPPOSING THAT WILD BEASTS COME FROM AN EVIL CREATOR, ONE SHOULD REASON WITH MORE JUSTICE THAT MEN ALSO COME FROM AN EVIL CREATOR 201 | 65 | 74
            $δ$. BOTH GOOD AND BAD BEASTS WERE CREATED BY A SINGLE AND GOOD CREATOR, FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES 202. | 66 | 75
      c. NOR SATAN 203-211 | 67 | 76
            $α$. IF IT WERE GOD WHO HAD CREATED SATAN AND THE DEVILS AS EVIL, TO BE OCCASIONAL ADMONISHERS AND CORRECTORS OF WRONGS, THE CHURCH WOULD NOT CAST THEM OUT 204 | 67 | 76
            $β$. NOR WOULD OUR LORD HAVE HURLED REBUKES AGAINST THEM 205 | 67 | 76
            $γ$. NOR WOULD SATAN AND THE DEVILS HAVE PUSHED MEN TOWARD IDOLATRY, FALSE PHILOSOPHIES, SCHISMS, AND FATALISM 206 | 67 | 76
            $δ$. IDOLATRY IS AN INVENTION OF THE DEVIL 207 | 67 | 77

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