Christians are Atheists

[Matthias]

Well, if the title of the author of the linked article doesn’t capture the readers’ attention then I’m not sure what will.

Some readers will doubtless be shocked and angered by the title. They needn’t be, nor would they be, if they were familiar with the history of the early Church.

The author explains why Christians were called atheists by the surrounding culture. It’s perfectly understandable why the pagans thought - and not only thought; expressed - the Christians were atheists.

Relax. Take a couple of deep breaths. Lower your blood pressure, if the title of this thread elevated it. Sit back and enjoy reading about the days of old: when Christians were called atheists.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-are-atheists.html

 

[synergy]

Well, if the title of the author of the linked article doesn’t capture the readers’ attention then I’m not sure what will.

Some readers will doubtless be shocked and angered by the title. They needn’t be, nor would they be, if they were familiar with the history of the early Church.

The author explains why Christians were called atheists by the surrounding culture. It’s perfectly understandable why the pagans thought - and not only thought; expressed - the Christians were atheists.

Relax. Take a couple of deep breaths. Lower your blood pressure, if the title of this thread elevated it. Sit back and enjoy reading about the days of old: when Christians were called atheists.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-are-atheists.html

I'm very familiar with the fact that Roman Pagans slandered Christians as Atheists.

Your title would be more accurate if it was something like: Christians were called Atheists in Roman times.

 

[Diserner]

Yeah, I've read this, ancient Christians were sometimes termed "atheists."

The denial of the pantheon of gods seemed irreligious to the secular.

Clearly, Christians were not "without god" in any sense even back then.

Indeed Pliny the Younger wrote:

They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so.

Pliny and Trajan on the Christians

And Tacitus called Christ "a most mischievous superstition."

Tacitus on the Christians - Livius

www.livius.org

 

[Matthias]

I'm very familiar with the fact that Roman Pagans slandered Christians as Atheists.

Others may not be. If such persons happen upon this thread - or the article in the Christian Post, or elsewhere - they’ll become educated on the subject.

Your title would be more accurate if it was something like: Christians were called Atheists in Roman times.

I retained the Christian author’s title. You could write to him about it, if it bothers you that much.

 

[synergy]

Yeah, I've read this, ancient Christians were sometimes termed "atheists."

The denial of the pantheon of gods seemed irreligious to the secular.

Clearly, Christians were not "without god" in any sense even back then.

Indeed Pliny the Younger wrote:

They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so.

Pliny and Trajan on the Christians

And Tacitus called Christ "a most mischievous superstition."

Tacitus on the Christians - Livius

www.livius.org

The Pliny accusation is strikingly similar to the accusation that Unitarians throw at Christians when we worship Jesus as God.

 

[Diserner]

The Pliny accusation is strikingly similar to the accusation that Unitarians throw at Christians when we worship Jesus as God.

Indeed, this was very early too, 111-113 AD.

 

[civic]

I'm very familiar with the fact that Roman Pagans slandered Christians as Atheists.

Your title would be more accurate if it was something like: Christians were called Atheists in Roman times.

Might as well say that atheists are Christian’s lol. Talk about oxymorons this takes the cake.

The strawman continues.

 

[Matthias]

Yeah, I've read this, ancient Christians were sometimes termed "atheists."

Some of the Ante-Nicene Fathers mention it in their writings.

The denial of the pantheon of gods seemed irreligious to the secular.

Those who were unhappy about the Christian’s’ denial of the pantheon of gods weren’t secular. They were a religious people, those pagans.

Clearly, Christians were not "without god" in any sense even back then.

From our perspective, that’s right. To the run of the mill pagan, and to the pagans writing against Christianity, they were.

Indeed Pliny the Younger wrote:

They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so.

Pliny and Trajan on the Christians

And Tacitus called Christ "a most mischievous superstition."

These men weren’t run of the mill pagans. They were pagans, historians, who were investigating Christianity - the run of the mill pagan wasn’t investigating Christianity, and the pagans writing against Christianity were writing with an agenda. The historians saw similarities. Hence their observation, “as to a god”. To them, it wasn’t good but it wasn’t atheism.

Tacitus on the Christians - Livius

www.livius.org

A link to the early Church Fathers who spoke about it would also be something of good value to our readers.

 

[synergy]

These men weren’t run of the mill pagans. They were pagans, historians, who were investigating Christianity - the run of the mill pagan wasn’t investigating Christianity, and the pagans writing against Christianity were writing with an agenda. The historians saw similarities. Hence their observation, “as to a god”. To them, it wasn’t good but it wasn’t atheism.

On the one hand Christians were called atheists by pagan historians but then you said "To them.... it wasn't atheism". I'm not following you.