How do we slay the dragon?

[Jenny A]

These are great suggestions, but what about on a more practical, individual level? What can I do? (Not being in a position of recognized "teacher" or "expert" on anything.)

I don't know. I have unconverted a few friends. But I think they were headed that way generally. In both cases, it happened because I was reading about the Bible: how the contextualists have dated it's various parts; the political motivations inherent in it; and the lack of historical corroboration; the new slant that what corroboration there is shows on the text. But I was talking about it as interesting information, not as here is why you should believe in this ancient book. I think this is why seminaries tend to cause atheism in some of their students. But to go at it this way you really do need to have an interest in and read about the Bible.

The same thing might be done with science. Get excited about evolution, and read up. Talk about parts you find fascinating.

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This is just a thought, and I have no proof it works. But one of the annoyances of my life as an at home mom (abet one with a part time business) and well behaved, well read kids, is that Christian mothers assume that I am a really good Christan mom and perhaps even home-schooled the girls at some point. That we have almost every dinner as a family and that I cook those dinners adds to this perception. It startles them when I answer the question, "which church do you attend?" with, "we don't because we are atheists." But they don't shun us. I think just being obviously a reasonably good person and openly atheist is helpful.