RE: Has anyone discovered a successful way to make religious people atheist?
April 11, 2016 at 10:55 pm
(April 11, 2016 at 10:48 pm)Goosebump Wrote:(April 11, 2016 at 10:46 pm)Won2blv Wrote: What I am simply saying is that if you're genuinely asking for a successful way to make religious people atheist, then being more empathetic is key to it. That doesn't mean that you have to pretend to be a theist, or expect them to pretend to be atheist. It simply means that you have reason with them in a way that is bridge building instead of missile throwing
Right, civility. Empathy is impossible.
Empathy is simply the ability to understand someones feelings. It doesn't meant that you have to adopt them. Trust me, when I told a few close people that I am going towards atheism they almost all asked me, "but don't you want to see your mom again" I understand why this is a reason alone to want to believe in god. It doesn't justify that belief but its very reasonable why many people would simply just want to see their loved ones again.
One thing that I am very grateful for, being raised a JW I was constantly going door to door and engaging with people face to face. It helped me to learn how to reason and see things from another point of view. This is vital. If you're not able or willing to consider the other side of an argument then how well grounded can you be in your own beliefs? Its so much easier to be honest when you grant dignity to the other sides point of view. And if you concede that, even hypothetically, then you have no burden on your end.
