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=== Which God or gods? ===

=== Which God or gods? ===

[[Image:Socrates.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The [[Greece|Greek]] philosopher [[Socrates]]]]

[[Image:Socrates.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The [[Greece|Greek]] philosopher [[Socrates]]]]

Since atheism is denial or disbelief in a God or gods, it is important first to identify in ''which god'' the atheist denies or disbelieves.  In ancient times, for example, Christians were accused of being atheists because of their disbelief of the pagan gods, even though they believed in the ''Christian'' God.<ref>Athenagoras, ''A Plea for the Christians, 2d century a.d.[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/athenagoras-plea.html]</ref>  [[Socrates]] was also accused of Atheism, although references to God run throughout his recorded statements.<ref>Plato, Apol., 26,c.</ref>  Also, [[Albert Einstein]] and [[Baruch Spinoza]] professed belief in "God," but they defined "God" as the cosmos as a whole, and without personality.  Therefore, one can be considered an atheist with respect to one god, but a theist with respect to another, and it is important to understand first in ''what God'' the atheist denies or claims to disbelieve.

Since atheism is denial or disbelief in a God or gods, it is important first to identify in ''which god'' the atheist denies or disbelieves.  In ancient times, for example, Christians were accused of being atheists because of their disbelief of the pagan gods, even though they believed in the ''Christian'' God.<ref>Athenagoras, ''A Plea for the Christians, 2d century a.d.[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/athenagoras-plea.html]</ref>  [[Socrates]] was also accused of Atheism, although references to God run throughout his recorded statements.<ref>Plato, Apol., 26,c.</ref>  Also, [[Albert Einstein]] and [[Baruch Spinoza]] professed belief in "God," but they defined "God" as the cosmos as a whole, and without personality.  Therefore, one can be considered an atheist with respect to one god, but a theist with respect to another, and it is important to understand first in ''what God'' the atheist denies or claims to disbelieve.  Indeed, this point has been made by [[Richard Dawkins]], who points out, "We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further"<ref> Dawkins, ''Snake Oil and Holy Water [http://www.simonyi.ox.ac.uk/dawkins/WorldOfDawkins-archive/Dawkins/Work/Articles/1999-10-04snakeoil.shtml].

=== Why does the atheist state they disbelieve?===

=== Why does the atheist state they disbelieve?===