Are the churches using atheists to gain more converts?

[madog]

This really interests me, I see all the debates happening in Christian churches with atheists and have a sneaky feeling that those churches are using the debates to get more converts? I personally hope this is back firing on the churches, so would appreciate any thoughts or examples either way ...

Is religion growing or decreasing in the USA?

[Minimalist]

The shit is dying out.

[madog]

The shit is dying out.

Wow, that is good news ....

What made me raise the issue is I see back street churches inviting big name atheists to debates ....

I saw Lawrence krauss who was very pissed off being put on stage with Stephen meyer, Krauss made it clear that he didn't appreciate being on stage with this intelligent design nutter as it was giving publicity to their crazy ideology ....

[vorlon13]

I'd like to see debates between various (incompatible) schisms of Christianity.

Jesus was crucified with 4 nails !!!

Fuck you blaspheming tool of SATAN, they used 3 goddamn NAILS !!!

With any luck at all, they'll convert everyone in the crowd to atheist.

[madog]

I'd like to see debates between various (incompatible) schisms of Christianity.

 

That would be interesting ... do they not publicly debate presently? any examples would be interesting to watch

[KevinM1]

I don't see how any debate could win new converts since you have to already be plugged into a church to know/care about them taking place.

[vorlon13]

I'd like to see debates between various (incompatible) schisms of Christianity.

 

That would be interesting ... do they not publicly debate presently? any examples would be interesting to watch

Seems to be un-PC for the multitude of christian schismatics to get too public with their mutual dissensions.  Too much fucking ecumenism floating around.

[robvalue]

I don't see how any debate could win new converts since you have to already be plugged into a church to know/care about them taking place.

Yeah, I don't think these debates convince anyone of anything they didn't already believe anyway.

If they make any change, I'd think it would be pushing people who were on the brink of leaving over the edge when they see what a jackass they have on their team and how bad the arguments are.

[madog]

I don't see how any debate could win new converts since you have to already be plugged into a church to know/care about them taking place.

I am curious as to their motives ... I have no fixed opinion .... It may be just the Christian debater trying to get a foothold or make a name in the debating circle?

Are they after those that are curious enough to consider atheism? Are they trying to promote their brand/sect in the religious supermarket?

I don't trust the religious so I am suspicious of their intentions ...

As I said I am curious 

[Esquilax]

I see it as the latest iteration of something churches have needed forever: an enemy to unite against. It's been D&D, rock music, satanists, witches, pagans... and now it's atheists.

They're not trying to gain more converts, though: the debates, like the apologetics books and the grandstanding christian screeds about how sad we all are, are just means of making the already-converted move secure and confident in their belief. It's literal preaching to the choir: in fact, sometimes you even pre-debate openers where the head organizer comes out and says this is so the believers can figure out how to better disagree with atheists... before the atheist has even made an argument, they've decided to dismiss it.