ere Early Atheists Trusted? How Greek and Roman Thinkers Viewed Atheism
This article responds to modern atheists who claim that early Christians were uniquely gullible or intellectually naïve, often appealing to a small selection of Roman critics of Christianity as their primary sources. By examining how Greek and Roman philosophers actually viewed atheism itself, a very different picture emerges. Far from being admired as enlightened skeptics, atheists were commonly regarded as morally unstable, overconfident, and socially untrustworthy. When the broader philosophical context is restored, the charge of Christian gullibility collapses—and the ancient critique turns back on those who denied divine accountability altogether.
12/26/20253 min read
Were Early Atheists Considered Trustworthy? What Greek and Roman Critics Actually Thought
Some modern critics claim that early Christians were especially gullible, less intelligent than their Greco-Roman peers, and quick to believe superstitions. Supporters of this idea often quote a few Roman critics of Christianity. However, they rarely consider how those same Greek and Roman thinkers viewed atheism.
Looking at the bigger philosophical picture, we see something different. In the ancient world, atheism was not seen as a sign of intelligence. Instead, many people considered it morally risky, potentially harmful to society, and insufficiently philosophical.
Plato discussed atheism in Book X of the Laws. He argued that denying the gods weakens law, order, and moral self-control. Without a sense of being accountable to the gods, Plato thought people would become lawless. For him, atheism was not just an idea; it was a real danger to society’s morals.
Aristotle looked at atheism as a philosopher. He did not accept the idea that there was no divine cause, because it could not explain the world’s order, purpose, or meaning. For Aristotle, atheism was not merely wrong; it could not account for how the world works. He believed that a world with meaning and structure required more than mere chance.
The Stoics were even clearer. Philosophers like Seneca believed that the universe was guided by logos, or divine reason. Rejecting this idea, they thought, would weaken virtue, moral discipline, and trust in society. Without divine reason as a foundation, ethics would become unstable and grounded solely in personal opinion.
Some people call the Epicureans early atheists. They believed in gods, but said the gods had nothing to do with human life. Ancient critics saw this as a kind of practical atheism. If the gods do not judge or care, then people are not truly accountable, and responsibility becomes something humans make up instead of a real duty.
Cicero, in his work De Natura Deorum, warned that atheism weakens justice, oaths, and public trust. In a society where laws and public life depended on promises, this was a big problem. People saw atheism as something that could damage the basics of public life.
Plutarch summed up the ancient worry clearly. He argued that atheism was even worse than superstition. At least superstition, he said, keeps people’s behavior in check. Atheism, on the other hand, removes all restraint.
A Consistent Ancient Judgment
Across different schools of thought like Platonism, Aristotelianism, Stoicism, and Roman civic ideas, the view was very similar. People did not see atheism as a smart doubt or progress. Instead, they argued that it weakened virtue, undermined trust, and made society less stable.
This historical context matters. When modern atheists use a few Roman critics to make early Christians look gullible, they miss how the same culture judged atheism. The ancient criticism does not support the modern argument as much as some people think. Their conclusions align with a central biblical insight: what one believes about God inevitably shapes moral reasoning, personal conduct, and social order.
Scripture Reflections: Romans 1:28–32
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
Ancient philosophers and Scripture begin from different places, but they converge on the same idea: beliefs about God are not merely academic. They have real effects on morals and culture.