I think part of what happens is when people doubt they try to seek comfort or something to affirm that what they believe is true. When I was a Christian and I had a particular nasty "doubting" situation I ran out and bought a book I knew of called "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" and I read it and it solved my problems for awhile.
When someone tells you a reason even if it is a bad one that supports what you believe it is easy to accept it. It lines up with what you want to be true so you jump on it and tout it as great evidence etc. I think this is partly what happens with strobbel's books and makes them popular. As far as atheists being converted through it etc I think I agree with others here that many atheists are not well thought out.
If someone is born into a secular environment and the issue of religion and oppositions to it isn't really touched on it won't be hard to influence them with religion a lot of times. Without critical thinking about the subject beforehand people can be very impressionable very quickly.
That doesn't make those who do get influenced easily like that stupid it just means they aren't prepared to deal with it. Back before I saw the "light" I used to argue with atheists occasionally problem is I never really looked at everything they were saying or tried to study the issue from their side extensively. All I got was straw-men examples of atheism, misconceptions, etc.
To the OP I am not saying you aren't studied in atheism or anything I was just speaking generally about the issue. If you have friends who are getting heavily influenced by Strobbel and you want to do them a HUGE favor read the book yourself and write a short refutation of his main points. There is probably a refutation like that already available somewhere if you want to just give it to them or if you need more ideas for your own.
When someone tells you a reason even if it is a bad one that supports what you believe it is easy to accept it. It lines up with what you want to be true so you jump on it and tout it as great evidence etc. I think this is partly what happens with strobbel's books and makes them popular. As far as atheists being converted through it etc I think I agree with others here that many atheists are not well thought out.
If someone is born into a secular environment and the issue of religion and oppositions to it isn't really touched on it won't be hard to influence them with religion a lot of times. Without critical thinking about the subject beforehand people can be very impressionable very quickly.
That doesn't make those who do get influenced easily like that stupid it just means they aren't prepared to deal with it. Back before I saw the "light" I used to argue with atheists occasionally problem is I never really looked at everything they were saying or tried to study the issue from their side extensively. All I got was straw-men examples of atheism, misconceptions, etc.
To the OP I am not saying you aren't studied in atheism or anything I was just speaking generally about the issue. If you have friends who are getting heavily influenced by Strobbel and you want to do them a HUGE favor read the book yourself and write a short refutation of his main points. There is probably a refutation like that already available somewhere if you want to just give it to them or if you need more ideas for your own.
