--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Romans called the Christians…" description: "\"The Romans called the Christians atheists. Why? Well, the Christians had a god of sorts, but it wasn't a real god. They didn't believe in the divinity ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/carl-sagan-160_atheist_the-romans-called-the-christians-atheist_930479.jpg" --- # The Romans called the Christians atheists. Why? Well, the… ![“The Romans called the Christians atheists. Why? Well, the Christians had a god of sorts, but it wasn't a real god. They didn't believe in the divinity of apotheosized emperors or Olympian gods. They had a peculiar, different kind of god. So it was very easy to call people who believed in a…” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/carl-sagan-160_atheist_the-romans-called-the-christians-atheist_930479.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/carl-sagan-160_atheist_the-romans-called-the-christians-atheist_930479.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/carl-sagan-160_atheist_the-romans-called-the-christians-atheist_930479.jpg) > “The Romans called the Christians atheists. Why? Well, the Christians had a god of sorts, but it wasn't a real god. They didn't believe in the divinity of apotheosized emperors or Olympian gods. They had a peculiar, different kind of god. So it was very easy to call people who believed in a different kind of god atheists. And that general sense that an atheist is anybody who doesn't believe exactly as I do prevails in our own time.” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People label those with differing beliefs as atheists, even when those beliefs involve a non‑traditional deity. **In simple terms:** Labeling others as atheists stems from differing concepts of god. Key Takeaway Recognize belief diversity before labeling. Themes religion identity labeling belief tolerance Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - academic discussion - personal reflection Key Concepts theology social perception categorization Questions to Reflect On - How do you define 'god' in your own terms? - What impact does labeling have on dialogue? A Different Perspective Labels can oversimplify complex belief systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Atheists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheists/) [Atheists Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheists-christians-1511441/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Called Christians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-christians-590159/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christians Atheists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christians-atheists-1511440/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different kinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-kinds/) [Divinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divinity/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Emperor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emperor/) [God Atheists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-atheists-1511442/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Olympian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympian/) [Olympian gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympian-gods-135704/) [Peculiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peculiar/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“If we are to discuss the idea of God and be restricted to rational arguments, then it is probably useful to know what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/if-we-are-to-discuss-the-idea-of-god-and-be-restricted-to-rational/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [What we were trying to do was take the notion of Greek tragedy, of fated and doomed people, and instead of these Olympian gods,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/what-we-were-trying-to-do-was-take-the-notion-of-greek-tragedy-of/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [People who want to live like Olympian gods must have slaves whom they throw into their fishponds and gladiators who fight during their masters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/people-who-want-to-live-like-olympian-gods-must-have-slaves-whom-they/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [I have a profound passion for the act of flying. It's very freeing, with an intense physicality, but it also gives an Olympian, god's-eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-light/i-have-a-profound-passion-for-the-act-of-flying-it-s-very-freeing/) [Michael Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-light/) > [The Olympian gods cannot have grand passions because they cannot die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-olympian-gods-cannot-have-grand-passions-because-they-cannot-die/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [One great way to mess with devout Christians and atheists would be if Jesus came back and said, By the way, you know I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/one-great-way-to-mess-with-devout-christians-and-atheists-would-be-if/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [I defy my honored opponents to give me the name of a single man imprisoned in the United States, Great Britain, or West Germany…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wurmbrand/i-defy-my-honored-opponents-to-give-me-the-name-of-a-single-man/) [Richard Wurmbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wurmbrand/) > [I might say that the debate between atheists and Christians is rather stale to me, because the Christians say, "You must be a Christian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/i-might-say-that-the-debate-between-atheists-and-christians-is-rather/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [“I’ll admit that both atheists and Christians are guilty of cherry-picking the Bible.  In a book so long and rambling, I suppose that there’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-lugeons/i-ll-admit-that-both-atheists-and-christians-are-guilty-of-cherry/) [Noah Lugeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-lugeons/) > [“Eventually you’ll have to come to understand that there is no logical reason to believe in God.  If there was, atheists would believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-lugeons/eventually-you-ll-have-to-come-to-understand-that-there-is-no-logical/) [Noah Lugeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-lugeons/) > [“Atheists are in a difficult position. A lot of modern religion is progressive, ethical and socially responsible--not about "supernaturalism" or a tyrannical ancient God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-joseph-hoffmann/atheists-are-in-a-difficult-position-a-lot-of-modern-religion-is/) [R. Joseph Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-joseph-hoffmann/) > [“There is only one God and all atheists will learn that after their deaths”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/there-is-only-one-god-and-all-atheists-will-learn-that-after-their/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [The atheist is a religious person. He believes in atheism as though it were a new religion. According to Renan, "The day after that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-atheist-is-a-religious-person-he-believes-in-atheism-as-though-it/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are atheists and Christians, and there are people in both groups who are a little too heavy-handed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dick/there-are-atheists-and-christians-and-there-are-people-in-both-groups/) [Andy Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dick/) > [“Since the beginning of religious history, our species has been caught in a never-ending cross fire –atheists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, the faithful of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/since-the-beginning-of-religious-history-our-species-has-been-caught/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“On the scale of worlds—to say nothing of stars or galaxies—humans are inconsequential, a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/on-the-scale-of-worlds-to-say-nothing-of-stars-or-galaxies-humans-are/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In our time, we have sifted the sands of Mars, we have established a presence there, we have fulfilled a century of dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-our-time-we-have-sifted-the-sands-of-mars-we-have-established-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Don't judge everyone else by your own limited experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/don-t-judge-everyone-else-by-your-own-limited-experience/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More Atheist quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [“The atheist joined his hands. It wasn't against the Gods. He smiled, with his hands folded, saw his daughter's in-laws approaching near.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/the-atheist-joined-his-hands-it-wasn-t-against-the-gods-he-smiled/) [Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/) > [I am surprised that anyone can profess to be an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/i-am-surprised-that-anyone-can-profess-to-be-an-atheist/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [An Atheist wandering down a road where he meets up a four road junction , he asks a passer by hey !, where does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/an-atheist-wandering-down-a-road-where-he-meets-up-a-four-road/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I am an atheist. I don't think there's anything divine. Beautiful, impressive, awe-inspiring - sure, but not divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomy-arpaly/i-am-an-atheist-i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-divine-beautiful/) [Nomy Arpaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomy-arpaly/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) [Browse all 2,434 Atheist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Romans called the Christians atheists. Why? Well, the Christians had a god of sorts, but it wasn't a real god. They didn't believe in the divinity of apotheosized emperors or Olympian gods. They had a peculiar, different kind of god. 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