One of the amazing things about Athenagoras of Athens is that he was a Contemporary of Marcus Aurelius and he has written this letter to him and his son Lucius Aurelius Commodus to know what the Christians really are that is why the book is called a Plea for Christians.
He starts the argument against Christians being treated differently from the others by listing what the others believe and how they are being treated whatever gods they believe and whatever mysteries they celebrate. Then he asks why are we treated differently from them what different thing do we have from them we are just trying to worship our God as they do with their gods but we are accused and they are not. The argument continues and he says what makes us different is just our name ,but just name is nothing and it doesn’t supposed to be a reason for punishment because the only reason for punishment is act not name.
The bad treating of Christians just because of their name is a pure injustice he argues because nobody in your time except Christians has been treated badly only because of the names that they have he says you should know this at least you has been instructed in philosophy, science and arts and it is apparently evident that name has no relation with being bad or good just it is the actions of the person that determines it. So based on this please treat us as you treat other citizens to at least defend our case and if we failed to defend our case and found guilt let us be punished otherwise let us be released free of the charges because at least in the government of Aurelius even Philosophers has been given this chance independent of their philosophy or science.
He lists three main charges against Christians:
Athenagoras points out that the charge of atheism cannot be more false because he says take Diagoras the Atheist for example he clearly stated that there is no God and everything is a result of cause and effect of matter as one of the views of atomism. But we don’t believe like that he says we just say there is one God.
Points out that this understanding of only one God not unique to Christians there are poets that were pagans and philosophers that said the same thing but they were not accused of being an Atheist.
For example
Now he moves from just the poets to philosophers though they were in polytheistic place and culture they were able to get to know that God is one like: