Theist trope: "Is life just a game?", what's the best way to rerpond?

[Alex K]

Probably just the religionists in denial. It's ironic yes. The more I think about this the more confused I become. Theist should be confused by their own statements but most don't think deeply enough. I struggle to understand these "great debaters" when they debate the famous Atheists; they all sound so confused and it's horrible. And their lackeys will still say they won. Perhaps it's delusions of grandeur?

I just watched a talk by an ex-homeopath which she gave at the recent German skeptic conference, and she made the striking observation that while she worked as a homeopath (and she's an MD!), she was firmly anchored in a very superficial and "intuitive" mode of thinking. Only when she really engaged skeptics in discussions, trying to debunk their criticisms, did she notice the difference between the actual rigorous and careful arguments they built and the kind of whishy-washy intuitive arguments which are the norm in her former alt-med community. She had always unquestioningly taken that as a valid way of thinking, and is now embarrassed by it.

I'm telling this story because I think it very closely parallels what goes on in religious believer's minds, I think.