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ALLEGED QUOTE: "Among those who seek power and gain from religion there will never be wanting an
inclination to forge and lie for it."
This statement was allegedly made by Lactantius, a 4th century apologist. However the quote is usually cited as
coming from an 18th century second-hand source: "Quoted by C. Middleton, Misc. Works of Conyers Middleton,
D.D., vol. 3, p. 51 (1752)" In other words, this hearsay quote is never cited from an original work of Lactantius
nor could I find it when I looked for it.
ALLEGED QUOTE: "A little jargon is all that is necessary to impose on the people. The less they comprehend,
the more they admire."
Gregory of Nazanzius, a 4th century church father and bishop of Caesarea, supposedly made this confession in a
letter to Saint Jerome. Yet once again, this statement is not found in any work of Gregory but is cited from
another second-hand 18th century source: "Quoted by C. Volney, The Ruins, p. 177 (1872)."
ALLEGED QUOTE: "O Lord, I never spoke a true word in my life, I have always affirmed a lie as truth to all men.
And no man contradicted me. Instead, they all gave credit to my works." Visions of Hermas Book II Chapter 3
The interesting thing about this quote is the work in which it is found. No one knows who actually wrote it or when
it was written. Some speculate it was written by Saint Hermas during the 1st century but due to internal
evidence, it seems this is a pseudographical work written after his lifetime (See: here and here). Or as one
reader expressed, "This is actually (for all we know) a fictional character, who is confessing his sins!"
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