RE: Important information for theists.
October 6, 2008 at 8:25 am
(This post was last modified: October 6, 2008 at 8:34 am by Edwardo Piet.)
(October 6, 2008 at 8:22 am)Darwinian Wrote: Preaching to the converted is just a saying and like the bible is not meant to be taken literally.
If a friend were trying to convince me of the Membrane theory of multiple Universes I would use the same phrase and it wouldn't have any religious connotations, although the root of the phrase has.
Like it or not, religion is ingrained in our history, society and language and as an old git I have grown up with phrases like these, giving little or no thought to their literal meaning.
Perhaps I should have said, "re-enforcing jointly held opinions" but I don't think it has quite the same pithy ring to it.
Even though WE know it's not literal I think a LOT of religious people we talk to would take it literally. And in my experience atleast; this common misconception can cause a LOT of problems when debating with a theist. Particularlly when debating with a fundie.
I'd say: "Reasoning with the converted"
Which of course I think if done AND RECIEVED (I can't stress that enough) logically...leads to de-conversion.
