Paul in Athens
Acts 17:16-34
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city subject to idolatry.
17 Therefore he disputed in the Synagogue with the Jews, and with them that were religious, and in the market daily with whomsoever he met. 18 Then certain Philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, disputed with him, and some said, What will this babbler say? Others said, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods (because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.) 19 And they took him, and brought him into Mars street, saying, May we not know, what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things unto our ears; we would know therefore, what these things mean. 21 For all the Athenians and strangers which dwelt there, gave themselves to nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some news. 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars street, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar wherein was written, UNTO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom ye then ignorantly worship, him shew I unto you. 24 God that made the world, and all things that are therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things, 26 And hath made of one blood all mankind, to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath assigned the times which were ordained before, and the bounds of their habitation, 27 That they should seek the Lord, if so be they might have groped after him, and found him, though doubtless he be not far from every one of us. 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being, as also certain of your own Poets have said, for we are also his generation. 29 Forasmuch then, as we are the generation of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven by art and the invention of man. 30 And the time of this ignorance God regarded not, but now he admonisheth all men everywhere to repent, 31 Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath appointed, whereof he hath given an assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32 Now when they had heard of the resurrection from the dead, some mocked, and others said, We will hear thee again of this thing. 33 And so Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto Paul, and believed, among whom was also Dionysius Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
1 Corinthians 14:8
And also if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle?
"Let not Geneva be forgotten or despised. Religious liberty owes it most respect." John Adams, the second president of the United States