Do you argue with religious people?

[TruthWorthy]

I'm wondering how you go about talking with others who are religious, when they bring up Jesus in a discussion, or whether you just let whatever fly. If you do argue, what is your approach, and do you regularly end up making the other person want to fight about it, or upset them to the point where they don't want to talk with you anymore.

[robvalue]

If it's some random numpty coming up to me, I just say I'm not interested. To be honest, that's pretty much all I've ever had. It's not come up otherwise, as almost everyone I have known is either atheist or weak sauce Christian to the point where it makes no difference.

[Homeless Nutter]

[...] or upset them to the point where they don't want to talk with you anymore.

That^^

I've had enough religious muppets force their idiotic beliefs on me when I was a child, with no means of defense. I'd be pretty happy if every last one of them knew, that mentioning god in my presence = someone's feelings getting a major a**-whooping. 

Hey - they're free to insult the lack of god(s) right back. Lack of god(s) is powerful enough not to be bothered by what brainwashed apes think of it...

[Alex K]

I sing in a mostly catholic choir, and I don't bother arguing religion there. We've had discussions over beer with somewhat theist friends. The only real serious discussions about religion I had in the US. For example when the youth pastor of the local church asked me what my beliefs were After I had finished he said, well at least you're pretty transparent in what you believe. I guess he didn't expect a detailed answer.

[AFTT47]

I will if they want to. I don't initiate it but I won't back down from it.

[vorlon13]

Last time JWs dropped by I just told them they were free to leave.

One of them started to say something, and I interrupted with "Now!"

And that was the end of that.

I would engage some LDS missionaries at this point. I see them in town quite a bit, but I can't say they've ever been this far out in the country.

I was talking to a Christer many years ago at the public library meeting regarding Madonna's racy photo book, and as soon as he found I had recently been to a couple of MCC services, he wanted to go out for coffee.

Too bad he wasn't my 'type' . . .



(unmarried)

[Brian37]

I'm wondering how you go about talking with others who are religious, when they bring up Jesus in a discussion, or whether you just let whatever fly. If you do argue, what is your approach, and do you regularly end up making the other person want to fight about it, or upset them to the point where they don't want to talk with you anymore.

Well, since brass knuckles and pepper spray would be cruel, the main reason we should confront theism verbally only, is to mainly keep religion off a pedestal. Human rights are a given, but ideas by themselves do not deserve to be challenge free. The right to make a claim is still a separate issue than the ability to demonstrate the credibility of the claim.

I personally don't get into it with theists to convert that individual on the spot. I do it more of a display for other atheists to see arguments and give them confidence in their own voice. I also do do it simply as an act of maintaining a long term society where taboos are not set up by any religious label. 

If our species never questioned social norms our species never would have left the caves. I think it is more important to challenge ideas long term than it is to think you can convince some individual on the spot. 

[Napoléon]

Generally I don't bother because it doesn't go anywhere and for some strange reason everyone thinks you're the asshole for pointing out how stupid it is that a grown adult believes fairy tales are real.

[Pizza]

Last time JWs dropped by I just told them they were free to leave.

One of them started to say something, and I interrupted with "Now!"

And that was the end of that.

I would engage some LDS missionaries at this point.  I see them in town quite a bit, but I can't say they've ever been this far out in the country.

I was talking to a Christer many years ago at the public library meeting regarding Madonna's racy photo book, and as soon as he found I had recently been to a couple of MCC services, he wanted to go out for coffee.

Too bad he wasn't my 'type' . . .



(unmarried)

MCC services?

[Jenny A]

It's varied a great deal over my lifetime. 

When I first came out atheist, I had numerous discussions with my parents and pastor.  My pastor threw in the towel pretty early.  Discussions with him hardened my lack of belief more than anything else and I think he knew it.  He also made the mistake of recommending I read The Bible, which I did. That led to some very interesting discussions which I think troubled him. 

My parents' primary weapon was being hurt and disappointed. As arguments go, that was irrational but rather affective--at least it caused me to try to believe. . .

In college I had the argument with numerous other students.  The results were mixed.  But there weren't too many hurt feelings.

As an adult, I don't find myself discussing god a whole bunch.  In a devilish mood, I'll take on the evangelizors at the doorstep, but otherwise I don't find much need to engage about god. I let most god comments pass unchallenged unless pushed with a real question like where do you go to church, or  god . . . don't you agree?   Mostly just stating that I don't believe in god brings the conversation to a halt.  When it doesn't, the argument is usually, no, but really. . .  As long as I've known the person for over a year or so, it doesn't seem to change much.

I do have a good friend who believes in a personal god, but not any of the named ones.  We have circular conversations in which she agrees in principle about correlation and causation not being the same, and the inefficacy of anecdotal evidence.  Then she presents anecdotal evidence and not very astonishing coincidences.  But it never becomes a fight.