Strategies To Keep Them Engaged

[Darkstar]

There is only so much you can do. Sure, trying to be nice is helpful, but when a theist starts a thread like the one in this link shortly after joining, what can you do? Some people won't release their preconcieved notions of what atheists are, and will play the martyr whenever someone refuses to walk on eggshells for them.

Fortunatly, this isn't too common, even when we have people who won't listen to reason [at all], they aren't necessarily like this. Take a certain recen member for example...I don't have to name him, do I?

[KichigaiNeko]

Sorry Median.

Admirable sentiments but.....

1) unlike theists, atheists don't need to hold onto "converts"
2) there is just so much explaining one can do before one starts swearing like a trouper at the person concerned.
3) quite frankly I am on this site for "community" not evangelicalism of the atheist perspective
4) this is the internet and your feelings and engagement should be your own to determine
5) no one should "walk-on egg shells". this is silly.

What does get up my nose is that theists tend to demand that they are somehow 'special' and deserving of 'special' treatment

[cratehorus]

Do you think there are ways to keep them engaged longer? What are some good methods?

cursewords?????

[Brian37]

So, this is a topic that I have been kicking around for quite some time now and it may very well be a futile one. However, since I am a former believer/Christian Apologist I wanted to discuss possible strategies for keeping theists engaged in the discussion. Now, before anyone chews me up for this please hear me out. From where I sit (as someone who once vehemently argued/debated for theism/Christianity) it is imperative that the theist hear and/or read (over and over) good critical thinking, along with the exposition of his/her false assumptions and irrational justifications. There is good scientific evidence that repetition of information, at varying times, is effective for change. In other words, once is not enough!

I know arguing with religionists/theists can often be extremely frustrating (They are so stubborn!). However, in my view the "outward" signs, or displays of hostility, stubbornness, repetition, etc are not really the important thing. Exposing bad thinking (and having those mistakes accepted as errors in need of correction) takes TIME. Lots of time. One of the things that got me to begin migrating "out" of fundamentalism was continual outsider assessment from different sources (i.e. - different people exposing my irrational beliefs and how/why they were irrational).

With that said, I would like to discuss "methods of magnetism"! How can we get theists to stick around, rather than run away, after getting a lesson in logic (to put it kindly)? Do you think there are ways to keep them engaged longer? What are some good methods?

Look, you think just because someone does not stick around that we don't accomplish something I bet you ran from some skeptic at first, but that seed they planted in you stuck, otherwise you wouldn't be an atheist now. And I also bet as a theist you wanted to have a strategy to get the non believers to listen to your message when you did believe.

We(meaning not one particular website, but the community) in it I have seen people who ran away like petulant children, but because of our bluntness and blasphemy, that seed of doubt stuck, like and they came back and thanked us for shaking them out of their delusion.

There is no right way to attempt to lead people out of religious delusion. Some respond to the library, and others respond to the verbal boxing. Most of the time a multi pronged approach works because it shows them that we are not monochromatic.

I warn against blanket statements and blanket solutions.

[median]

Sorry Median.

Admirable sentiments but.....

1) unlike theists, atheists don't need to hold onto "converts"
2) there is just so much explaining one can do before one starts swearing like a trouper at the person concerned.
3) quite frankly I am on this site for "community" not evangelicalism of the atheist perspective
4) this is the internet and your feelings and engagement should be your own to determine
5) no one should "walk-on egg shells". this is silly.

What does get up my nose is that theists tend to demand that they are somehow 'special' and deserving of 'special' treatment

I agree completely, and I was not in any way attempting to make a case for 'pussy-ism'. When "Hey, fuck you!" is necessary I'll be right there. I am here for community as well. As such, I'd like to (at the same time) keep theists engaged (i.e. - hearing/seeing their flaws) for as long as possible. Tis all.

---

Look, you think just because someone does not stick around that we don't accomplish something I bet you ran from some skeptic at first, but that seed they planted in you stuck, otherwise you wouldn't be an atheist now. And I also bet as a theist you wanted to have a strategy to get the non believers to listen to your message when you did believe.

We(meaning not one particular website, but the community) in it I have seen people who ran away like petulant children, but because of our bluntness and blasphemy, that seed of doubt stuck, like and they came back and thanked us for shaking them out of their delusion.

There is no right way to attempt to lead people out of religious delusion. Some respond to the library, and others respond to the verbal boxing. Most of the time a multi pronged approach works because it shows them that we are not monochromatic.

I warn against blanket statements and blanket solutions.

Agreed

[Lion IRC]

There is only so much you can do. Sure, trying to be nice is helpful, but when a theist starts a thread like the one in this link shortly after joining, what can you do? Some people won't release their preconcieved notions of what atheists are, and will play the martyr whenever someone refuses to walk on eggshells for them.

Fortunatly, this isn't too common, even when we have people who won't listen to reason [at all], they aren't necessarily like this. Take a certain recen member for example...I don't have to name him, do I?

Yes you do have to name the person.
Dont worry.
No eggshells here.

I have never run away from any forum.
The thing that really makes my blood boil is when people claim victory and believe you secretly agree with them after they have banned you.

Oh yeah, Lion's belief system was crumbling all around him and so we had to ban him blah blah blah.