Marcus Tullius Cicero was not a Christian; he lived from 106 BC to 43 BC, long before Christianity emerged. He was a Roman statesman, lawyer, philosopher, and orator who adhered to the religious and philosophical beliefs of ancient, pagan Rome. He is famous for characterizing religion as either “nothing at all” or “everything.” Aut undique religionem tolle, aut usquequaque conserva. Words of wisdom.

This raises an interesting point. Christianity is either “nothing at all” . . . or it is “everything.” If it is “nothing at all”, why then do so many waste enormous amounts of their time and effort railing against something they believe is “nothing at all”? Why does something that is “nothing at all” induce such virulent reaction in some? If Christianity is “nothing at all”, then ceaselessly attacking it makes about as much sense as Don Quixote tilting at windmills.

But in fact, the antipathy towards Christianity reveals far more about those wielding it, than it does about the faith they disparage. The rage and hostility towards Christianity reveals that those exhibiting it, do in fact, understand that it represents either nothing or everything. They instinctively know that everything is on the line.

“The lady doth protest too much, methinks” is a line from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. It is spoken by Queen Gertrude in response to the insincere overacting of a character to elicit evidence of guilt. The expression is used in everyday speech to indicate the suspicion that someone who denies something very strongly is, in fact, hiding the truth.

Methinks they protest too much.