(December 27, 2014 at 8:44 pm)Nope Wrote: Find out what emotional need that religion is filling for her. Most intelligent religious people remain in their faith because they are getting some need met. This can be as simple as knowing that you will meet your loved ones after death. Ask her what her religion gives her. You might have to dig a bit to get through a lot of religious woo to get the real answer.
Also, point her in the way of more liberal religious people. You might never deconvert her but there are Christians who believe in evolution and same sex marriage. They have just as many bible verses to support their love of science and equality as the right wing Christians do.
Find out if she has actually read her bible from front to cover. You can challenge her to do so. After all, if someone is going to follow a religion shouldn't they read the holy text of that faith? Most people will be repulsed at large portions of the Old Testament. You can remind her that bible god doesn't change so the same god that commands people to stone rape victims was the same god in the New Testament. I have heard several atheists say that reading the bible was the catalyst for losing their faith.
Get to know her beliefs at a personal level, I wholeheartedly agree. Even if she never changes her mind, at least I could empathize as to why she clings to them so dearly. Wonderful suggestion, thank you.
I am happy that she's in favor of same sex marriage, I've seen her happy when she comes across those couples. I think that science and religion can be reconciled; although strenuously, but that'll at least bring her closer to an observable reality. I'm sure there are ways to make even the story of adam and eve sound abstract or metaphorical to her.
I've spoken to her about it before. It seems that she obtains most of that information from sermons, friends, and family. She's never read the bible from cover to cover, so I'll introduce her to cherry picking. I will even acknowledge that the bible has its good moments too. Otherwise I'm hypocritical for picking out all the bad stuff. I can show her new versus over time. Fantastic approach to opening her mind a bit.
(December 27, 2014 at 8:52 pm)Elskidor Wrote: I wish you the best, but I can't say I have had anything good come out of debating with friends or family over religion. It is usually just messy or awkward, but then again I don't much care for discussing stuff like that anyway, but I know some people do. I just find debating sorta pointless. No matter how many points you think are great, the other side is going to think the same thing about theirs.
My brother-in-law and I talked about beliefs on Chrismas Eve for awhile, but he started it with a comment of "I don't care for Atheists much. " He's a pagan, so in the end we pretty much just agreed on not liking Christianity. He had assumed a lot of stuff that just was not accurate, and had painted atheists with some pretty broad strokes. I think we could have had a better time not discussing our differences at all, but it was civil and turned out okay.
I know the feeling. She's still young, just entered college. I want her to live up to her utmost potential. It may be futile, but it's certainly worth an attempt. Brief discussions over an extended period of time may work very well.
I'm sure that, in time, with a progressive form of atheism, (Not the extreme anti-theistic approaches.) we may be able to dilute those misconceptions. In some countries if you tell someone you're an atheist they'll respond indifferently. It's common place. I admire what Bill Nye is doing, he's approaching the scientific illiteracy, not the religion in itself.
Its good that you found some common ground. Perhaps, in time you'll be able to discuss things freely with one another?
Its certainly better than what I can say with those experiences. My Aunt is far deeper in than my cousin...didn't go well. xD
