The 10 Hour Challenge!

[Golbez]

I'm sure you're all thrilled to see another offering of mine, but nevertheless, I have a second idea I think could be crafted into something maybe one day useful. And like my last idea, it also precludes any endorsement (linked or otherwise) of products and services! <aside>This seems like the subforum I should have placed my first idea.</aside> I call it the 10 Hour Challenge (subject to time alterations for whatever would optimize the process.)

The idea stemmed from the thought that many religious people were raised going to church regularly, listening to sermons, the gospel, sunday school, etc, reenforced by similar beliefs of nearly the rest of the planet. There's not a great deal of push back from much of society. They're brought up in a culture and society that largely reenforces their beliefs. Many have had lengthy exposure to the reasons, lectures and lessons of religion. But I would suspect very few of them have endured any sort of prolonged, logical pushback. Few (I continue to suspect) have listened at length to the great speeches of the atheists at the forefront of our movement that deconstruct their assumed reality and show it for what it is.

So I had an idea that something could be cobbled together that could provide a (very crudely) equal opportunity from the opposing view point. The 10 Hour Challenge would be a voluntary experience for those who are most open to consider the arguments from the other side. And tentatively, I have in mind a selection of youtube speeches I've recently watched that I just felt were very convincing and strongly articulated.

So what I'd be interested in is what videos/clips best present the argument without being overly polarizing (as it's already contentious and would lose the most sensitive viewers) - what would be considered the "essentials"? In an ideal scenario (money not withstanding), what environment would be the best in which to subject yourself to these lectures? If this were a real "challenge" already in place somewhere, what do you imagine it would look like? What rate of viewers might you think it reasonable it would give pause to/convert, recalling that they're voluntary screenings of subjectively open-minded individuals? What length of time would give the best shot at making the case, without being too repetitive or abrasive in suggesting our case, as opposed to 10 hours? Would this be a positive tool in the case for atheism? Should we publicize a mini challenge that draws you in to the larger, full challenge, so it's more inviting? Does this atheist community have any interest in this idea, or is it terrible on its face (and hopefully, why do you think so)?

Actually, I just thought of a possible way to do this at low cost. Youtube Playlists can be public. And it could be housed at some parent website that promotes the expectations of the process and discussions and breakdowns of the critical points brought up in the list.

/additional aside - I can list some random likes/dislikes of mine to further inform you all of myself if that lowers the barrier for considering this idea. =P

<3 - Pizza, cheesecake, hockey, music, educational youtube channels like minute physics, CPG Grey, Crash Course and Smarter Every Day
X - Smoking, ignorance, current US republican party, hangovers (there may be arrogance and/or inconsistencies here)

Happy New Cheers,
~Golbez

[Golbez]

Hmm. No responses. Is it that such projects are beyond the reach and capacity of this forum? Is it that I'm still donning the newcomer tag and have to post generic fluff I'm less interested in so as to remove the stigma of being the voice no one really knows? Have I otherwise violated an abundance of rules I didn't exactly peruse to try and pitch a couple ideas I thought were nifty? Do my tone or concepts give everyone extreme temporary arthritis? Tl;dr? Am I a victim of holiday timing?

Or maybe it's this. My primary motivations for joining were to see if there was any traction in these ideas, and that came off clearly and maybe too strongly in some perception of spam, we got off on the wrong foot, and/or there's simply no interest here.

Sorry to double post, but curiosity abounds.

[LastPoet]

Some reasons may be appointed to the lack of audience:

1- Its the holidays.
2- Its hard to herd cats.
3- This is an internet forum, an asyncronous web communication plattform, responses may not come at your will (pressing f5 repeatedly won't make it better).

On a personal note, I don't understand what you want, you made a terribly long vague post. Or mabe I'm too dumb. whatever pleases you most.

[Minimalist]

Is it that such projects are beyond the reach and capacity of this forum?

It's New Year's Day. Everyone is probably hung over.

Besides, who wants to listen to 10 hours of bullshit?

[Rev. Rye]

On a personal note, I don't understand what you want, you made a terribly long vague post. Or mabe I'm too dumb. whatever pleases you most.

And besides, 10 hours of what are you suggesting?

[Brian37]

Is it that such projects are beyond the reach and capacity of this forum?

It's New Year's Day. Everyone is probably hung over.

Besides, who wants to listen to 10 hours of bullshit?

Not my co-workers, and that is just 8 hours of my bad jokes.

[Golbez]

What I want is some sort of aggregate playlist of atheist speeches that present our best case. I just thought the 10 Hour Challenge was a bit of a catchy title, but it could amount to whatever length of videos (instead of 10 hours) best argues the atheistic viewpoint about religion to otherwise open-minded religious people, for the sake of trying to make our case and openly convert them. So Minimalist, the hours could be flexible. That's part of my inquiry - what duration would be optimal, and would it be better to lure them in with a mini challenge (1 hour?) before they see the whole thing?

So for example, I think Sam Harris's lectures on free will (1:18hr), science and morality (20 min), and his 2 hour science/religion debate would comprise ~3.5 hours of what they'd subject themselves to, and see if it doesn't make them reconsider in some fashion. I'd expect that largely, it wouldn't. But it might change a tiny percentage. It might turn some small tide. But that's the essence of the idea. Kind of a gimmicky "challenge" to make our case, to get a second shot at questioning their foundation and reasoning. It would clearly start with a tiny audience, but maybe it'd make splashes in the atheist circles and slowly start getting a little publicity or interest.

[Cato]

Gobez, you are not atheist. Optimal duration? Our case? Convert them? Lure them in? Second shot at questioning their foundation? These are the same maxims that Jim Bakker uses to bilk the gulllible.

[Golbez]

Bit of a non-sequitur there. They are gullible. I'm trying to conceive of something that helps change that. But I'm actually trying to unbilk.

Further, how does the concept of "optimal duration" have any negative connotations? You never talk to religious people about their beliefs? That's all this would be, in some sort of process aimed at getting the best results. If it were a 5 minute discussion, it likely wouldn't be enough to convince them. If it were a marathon, they would likely not subject themselves to it to begin with. Are you simply resigned to not changing the status quo? That doesn't mean I'm not an atheist.

Think of it as basically an online course at a community college. It'd be the essential curricula to avert them from a life of blind faith and dogmatic assumptions. I'm not sure what country you're from, but there's definitely overt religious push-back on simple truths here in the US. Global warming, evolution, gay rights, etc. It's a problem. So this is meant to gather any still curious about their planet to show them why religion is unnecessary.

You think Sam Harris' argument for why there's no free will is bilking the gullible? I don't understand any bit of where you're coming from.

[KichigaiNeko]

I am thinking that the majority on this forum have done much more than your paltry 10 hours Golbez. I know for a fact that Zen has waded through more than 10 hours of religious nonsense in the past two weeks just to answer threads he is interested in.

For me?? I've had 55 years of religious nonsense, I am tired of it and I want to go home.