Conversing with people you disagree with

[Rayaan]

5) Let the other person have their personal reaction to arguments without judgment. A theist may be presented with many compelling arguments, but still believe what they believe. Religious beliefs are not just a matter of facts - they are a matter of psychological programming, social acceptance, and much more. Beliefs are very hard to change, much less discard. There was nothing that anyone could have done to make me change my mind when I was a theist - becoming an atheist was a gradual and personal process that I experienced. There are atheists who have experiences that lead them to become theists - and no arguments can speed up or slow down their path.

Generally, I agree with that. Arguments between theists and atheists usually do not change their beliefs about the existence of God, although sometimes they do.

But, then, I was wondering, what is it that still keeps you so enthusiastic about arguing with theists even after doing this for so many years? Is it mainly because you want to change them, because arguing with them gives you a kind of self-satisfaction for logically defeating them, because you want to expand your own knowledge through discussions with them, or what exactly?

I mean, there are many possible reasons for wanting to argue, and different people have different reasons for arguing, so what is yours? You already said that these theist-vs-atheist arguments are pretty much ineffective when it comes to changing their beliefs (about God and religion). So what do you wish to get out of these arguments at the end of the day?

I'm not saying that rational discussions dealing with religious beliefs is a bad thing at all. It certainly is a good thing, in my opinion, but I'm just asking something that I'm curious to know.

And from your experience, did you really find that your own method of arguing/debating - as outlined above - is significantly more effective, or not so much?