From ancient times…

…wicked demons in human form defiled women, corrupted boys, and showed men such terrifying sights that whoever did not have the insight to discern what was happening became confused. Obsessed by fear, they failed to recognize them as evil demons. They called them "gods" and gave to each the name which each demon had given himself.

Socrates tried by true reason and exact inquiry to bring these things to light and to draw men away from these demons. That is why the demons, working through men who delighted in evil, knew how to bring about his execution as an atheist and sacrilegious person. They accused him of having introduced new gods. And now they try to do the very same thing to us.

For it happened not only among the Greeks that these things were brought to light through Socrates, but also among the barbarians. It happened through the same Logos [Word] who took form and became man and was called Jesus Christ. Him we follow, and we deny that the spirits who have done these things are true deities, but assert that they are wicked and infamous demons, in no way even capable of such actions as men are, who strive for goodness and merit.

Justin Martyr († AD 166), from his First Apology

This brief excerpt from the writings of one of the earliest Church fathers was printed on the front of our Sunday bulletin at Holy Trinity, along with the icon of the saint. When I first started reading it, I thought for sure the description was of the modern-day pornographic media industry that has dragged down popular culture to the low moral level we now find it. But as I read on, and being a historian, I quickly grasped that this was the classic argument against the pagan gods of the Greco-Roman world. Still, something about it impressed me as still being timely. Could these "demons" still be at work, exalting themselves in persons such as Maitreya who claims to be the World Teacher and Savior (though he is still hidden from us), José Luís de Jesus Miranda "The Man Christ Jesus" who simultaneously declares that he is Christ AND Antichrist, and Vissarion of the Last Testament Church in Russia who claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus? Could these same demons also be behind most or all of the UFO phenomena? Many people have noticed similarities between this activity and ancient "divine theophanies."

The drift of my blog is not to explore or discuss controversies, but to share Christian spiritual testimonies. Perhaps many of my visitors are unaware that such things as I've mentioned above even exist, but it's only the tip of the iceberg. God grant us followers of Jesus discernment to avoid not just the obvious but also the hidden perils set to ambush us in this last age.