City of God - Augustine - III - Book 2 commenced

Required reading
City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin reading Book 2 (Chapters 1-17).

My summary
Today Augustine continues answering the charge, "No rain!  It's all the fault of the Christians', by looking at the lack of moral teaching in pagan religions, both Greek and Roman.  He also touches on the interaction of pagan religions with Greek philosophy, primarily Plato.

What grabbed me
I liked Augustine's suggestion that we must eventually cease answering those who question us: 'And yet, will we ever come to end of discussion and talk if we think we must always reply to replies?  For replies come from those who either cannot understand what is said to them, or are so stubborn and contentious that they refuse to give in even if they do understand.  In fact as the Bible says, "Their conversation is unrighteousness, and they are indefatigable in folly."  You can see how infinitely laborious and fruitless it would be to try to refute every objection they offer, when they have resolved never to think before they speak provided that somehow or other they contradict our arguments.'

While as Christians we are called to give an answer for the hope that we have, we are also called to not cast our pearls before swine and so there is a point where we have to call end to the conversation with some objectors to Christianity.

Next week's reading
Finish Book 2 (Chapters 18-29)

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.