How to debate a Christian

[dreamer2008]

If you want to be able to debate Christians I would first read and listen to as many debates as you can, to learn the debate tactics and understand the basic arguments. Learn the logically fallacies and if you don't want to read the Bible, you could read books on the Bible that aren't so dry and will point out the contradictions and problems in it for you. Jesus Interrupted is one such book that is an easy read and points out major issues with the gospels.

Reading the Bible is only necessary if you wish to argue Christianity within it's own mythology. You can take another avenue and explain why the Bible is not sufficient evidence for God and that's basically an exercise in circular reasoning. "The Bible is true because it says it's true" type BS.

Lastly, if you like to argue, that's great. I just recommend you do it with people who want to argue and enjoy it too, whether online or in person. Your opening sentence makes me think you're challenging friends, and if you want to keep them as friends, you might want to stop. (If I'm wrong about this ignore me.) Point is, I love my friends for who they are and have no need to challenge their beliefs unless they also would like to talk about it. Not many people do, and my friendship is not contingent on people agreeing with me (or I'd have no friends). So, I'm just saying consider who you're arguing with.

Thank you for this really good advice. Yes, a friend is involved, but I wouldn't want to debate him for now because of exactly what you said, I wouldn't want to force topics they don't like. And although he is open for debate, for now I don't have the tools to win a debate with him about this, so its on hold. But most of the time I debate with people in my surroundings and mainly in this topic and I wanted a solution on how I can debate them without being forced to read the Bible.

But a solution that you mention about reading books on the Bible came from someone at another atheist forum I posted on, and actually with this I can actually read this silly Book and that is Skeptic Annotated Bible. With this I can finally have patience to read the whole thing and I see that the Quran is there also so it will mean a little more fun for me.