(January 7, 2015 at 6:09 pm)Landfish Wrote: Every time I come here I feel better. I give up trying to destroy religion myself years ago. Used to lock horns with all of them upon contact.
This thread gives me hope for the world. Quite literally.
Don't sell yourself short.
Every conversation or debate you have ever had with a theist, has helped the cause. No matter how small.
The chances of changing the person you are directly engaging is very hard. But you never know what effect you had on bystanders.
But then again, every little thought you put in the head of the person you locked horns with, is like a seed that may have an effect years later. I know for a fact that I've helped cause fundies to become more moderate, less literalist, caused moderates to become Deists, etc.
Just the fact that atheists are no longer remaining politely hidden around theists is a major factor.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
