The charge of atheism

What, then, can explain this? In our case, although we promise to do no wrong and to hold none of these godless opinions, you do not investigate by trial. Instead, driven by irrational passion and scourged on by evil demons, you punish us without judgment or concern. The truth must be told. Long ago, evil demons appeared, seduced women, corrupted boys, and showed terrifying sights to human beings. Those who did not judge what was happening by reason were struck with fear; carried away by terror and not knowing that these were evil demons, they called them gods and addressed each by the name that each demon had given himself. When Socrates tried by true reason and careful examination to bring these things into the open and lead people away from the demons, the demons themselves, working through people who delighted in wickedness, brought about his death as an atheist and impious man, accusing him of “introducing new divinities.” They do the same in our case. For these things were exposed not only among the Greeks through Socrates by reason, but also among the barbarians by the Logos himself, who took form, became a human being, and was called Jesus Christ. Persuaded by him, we say that the beings who did such things are not gods at all, but wicked and unholy demons, whose deeds are not even comparable to those of human beings who desire virtue.