Debating with theists.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Has anyone ever found themselves in the middle of a debate with a religious individual?

Debate? Yes,but have never seen an actual debate about anything on an internet forum.

I DID once get into a debate with a Passionist priest trained in theology and apologetics; got handed my head.

Debating is merely a form of intellectual masturbation and should not be conflated with being right or wrong. Nor indeed should what passes for arguments with the dropkick apologists we get here.

As a rule of thumb,in real life I decline to argue with apologists of any kind,as I find them intellectually dishonest as well as usually appallingly ignorant on several levels.


Patronising? Arrogant? ME?

[Minimalist]

I just bombard them with questions. I question their answers to the questions. Sometimes people don't need the answers, they just need the questions.

Wonderful point! That's what I do with atheists.

Yes, but do you listen to the answers?

Aye, there's the rub.
(Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1)

[cdabamsworth]

I'll echo about asking questions.

"I believe in God."
"Why?"
"Because He is the Word according to the Bible."
"How do you know the Bible proves God is the Word?"
"Because He wrote it with His Divine Hand™."
"Okay, and how do you know he wrote it?"
"Because...He wrote it through humans"
"Yeah, but how do you know it was him and not just humans?"
"Because...it says so in the Bible"
"Is that a good reason to be grounding your entire faith?"

Of course, they'll generate more points, but it's the same procedure.

Here's the real point: if religion is fundamentally illogical, then asking a series of questions would in theory lead the person to discover the illogicality themselves. If only they realized the illogicality, it would begin to bother them.

Normally I don't feel any guilt at all, but once in a while I will find myself speaking with an individual who has devoted their entire life to a specific religion. For example, my father has been a devout christian his entire life. He is the pastor of a church and that is his full time job. I would love to have a down to earth discussion with him, but then I think, what if I succeeded? What if I deconverted him? That would mean he would have to re-evaluate every decision he's ever made, it would mean he would lose every single one of friends, his livelyhood and his job! That makes me feel guilty. Maybe on some very rare occasions ignorance is bliss?

Yes, this rings true for me as well.