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.
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.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
