Stump the Christian?

[robvalue]

No problem

"Atheists" do not start from any position, other than the disbelief in god claims. If you mean sceptics, please say sceptics. Good sceptics start from the position where they assume as little as possible, and withhold belief in anything until they have sufficient reason to do so. There are plenty of atheists who are not sceptics.

So yes, sceptics view theological claims in the same way as any other claims, and require the same level of evidence before believing them.

If you don't mean sceptics, then please be clear what you do mean Because atheists can be anything they like.

Not all atheists are in the business of trying to deconvert people either. Maybe you mean anti-theists? And it is certainly a simplification to think that any one series of questions is going to be enough to get any given theist to question their beliefs, I totally agree there!

Theists have reasons for their beliefs, or else they wouldn't hold those beliefs. They may be good reasons, they may be bad reasons. Crucially, they may not even be fully aware of what the reasons are themselves. Sometimes the true reasons can become apparent only when the assumptions are drawn into question, and discussion leads them to introspection. That is my approach, to encourage people to think. I'm not trying to strongarm anyone. I'd love people to really consider their beliefs from all viewpoints, and then come to whatever conclusions they may.