(January 8, 2016 at 5:36 pm)robvalue Wrote:(January 8, 2016 at 4:34 pm)Evie Wrote: I am of the position nowadays that debating with theists is futile because they believe for emotional reasons.
It might be possible to demonstrate to someone exactly that. For someone who cares about truth, that would be a revelation of sorts.
I would say emotion is definitely a deciding factor, and for some it's the main reason, but people have reasons. For example, I think a Christian goes through an experience like this:
They believe in God to justified reasons.
They conclude for some reasons God would guide humanity and communicate with them.
They then look at religions and see there revelation or religion taught by Jesus as the best out there and find it the most beautiful way for God to act.
Therefore it makes sense for them to believe.
Now each of these steps needs reasoning. What motivates them to conclude is true is love. However I would say love of people/family tradition is mixed into this.
So people will seek to justify their religion is more beautiful then others. Their philosophy is more profound.
Atheists tend to assume it's all one reason for the whole package. They are different.
I was considering becoming a new age type theist who believes in spiritual guides without a divine book or outward organized religion while a Deist.
But I have reasons. I really want to share those reasons here and discuss them objectively, but, I realize there is no use if we can't get to past step 1. I wanted to discuss Islam with assuming 1 is true and just leaving it for the sake of discussion.
That said I feel it's hard to get into a deep critical discussion with Theists about this.
