Trying to find a quote

[Lainey]

I'm trying to find a quote I've read once or twice, but I don't know who wrote it. I think it was a church father. Anyway, the gist of it was that believers shouldn't talk foolishness with unbelievers, because if the unbeliever knows that what they're saying is nonsense, they won't believe them when it comes to salvation, either.

I always thought it applied rather well to the "Creationism" nonsense.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I tried to google it but I'm having no luck because I can't remember any specifics.

[Goat]

I'm trying to find a quote I've read once or twice, but I don't know who wrote it. I think it was a church father. Anyway, the gist of it was that believers shouldn't talk foolishness with unbelievers, because if the unbeliever knows that what they're saying is nonsense, they won't believe them when it comes to salvation, either.

I always thought it applied rather well to the "Creationism" nonsense.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I tried to google it but I'm having no luck because I can't remember any specifics.

Perhaps it is Saint Augustine of Hippo talking about the literal meaning of Genesis

It not infrequently happens that something about the earth, about the sky, about other elements of this world, about the motion and rotation or even the magnitude and distances of the stars, about definite eclipses of the sun and moon, about the passage of years and seasons, about the nature of animals, of fruits, of stones, and of other such things, may be known with the greatest certainty by reasoning or by experience, even by one who is not a Christian. It is too disgraceful and ruinous, though, and greatly to be avoided, that he [the non-Christian] should hear a Christian speaking so idiotically on these matters, and as if in accord with Christian writings, that he might say that he could scarcely keep from laughing when he saw how totally in error they are. In view of this and in keeping it in mind constantly while dealing with the book of Genesis, I have, insofar as I was able, explained in detail and set forth for consideration the meanings of obscure passages, taking care not to affirm rashly some one meaning to the prejudice of another and perhaps better explanation.

[Lainey]

Yes! I think that's it! Thank you so much, Goat!

[Lainey]

Actually, that one was close, but I think this is the one I've read before:

Usually, even a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other elements of this world, about the motion and orbit of the stars and even their size and relative positions, about the predictable eclipses of the sun and moon, the cycles of the years and the seasons, about the kinds of animals, shrubs, stones, and so forth, and this knowledge he hold to as being certain from reason and experience. Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking nonsense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show up vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but that people outside the household of faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our Scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men. If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books in matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life, and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods and on facts which they themselves have learnt from experience and the light of reason? Reckless and incompetent expounders of Holy Scripture bring untold trouble and sorrow on their wiser brethren when they are caught in one of their mischievous false opinions and are taken to task by those who are not bound by the authority of our sacred books. For then, to defend their utterly foolish and obviously untrue statements, they will try to call upon Holy Scripture for proof and even recite from memory many passages which they think support their position, although they understand neither what they say nor the things about which they make assertion.