Can atheists convert theists?

[Paul the Human]

Knight -

It's already been established that there's a difference between religion and a nonreligious personal belief system which involves god.

No... it hasn't. It has been established that you think that and it has been established that you are wrong. You are redefining the word 'religion'.

Why am I still trying to argue this with you?

*stops*

[Scented Nectar]

Godhead, you are mixing up religion with organized religion.

[Knight]

a nonreligious personal belief system which involves god.

Unless this "god" you are talking about is supported scientifically, with hard evidence, any personal belief system relating to this god is a religion. That is exactly what religion is, need I cite the definition again? Look:

(1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

[Welsh cake]

The purpose of this thread is to establish how an atheist would deconvert a theist to atheism.

So, if you (atheists) were to attempt to deconvert a theist, how would you do it? Which methods would be most effective? Have you ever done it? If so, how? And which methods are least effective? Can you deconvert me?

Fixed for you.

How would I deconvert someone? Firstly as many here have already said its not in my interest to deconvert anyone. If someone wishes to learn about their beliefs and mine then I'm willingly to sit down and discuss with them whether theirs has a rational justification or not.

Can I deconvert you? Doubtful - you're challenging us to begin with and that's not an honest enquiry about what we claim to believe, know and/or understand about reality; you already seem to have everything figured out, hence the preachy arrogant waste-of-time assertions you've been making about atheists for this entire topic.

[Knight]

I responded to the point of this thread--read the last post on page 9.

[Edwardo Piet]

Deism isn't a religion.... just as theism isn't.

EvF

[Paul the Human]

Deism isn't a religion.... just as theism isn't.

EvF

They are not religions in and of themselves, but they both include a religious belief... the belief that a deity and/or god exists. Deism is not 'a religion', it is a 'religious belief'.

(EDIT: Sorry. I meant to be finished with this derailment. It doesn't matter to the original topic at all. Here is a lame attempt to put it back on track. Can atheists convert theists? I say, yes... it is possible. Any dissenting opinions?)

[Edwardo Piet]

Well I'll say my last piece on the matter in these following brackets and then I will get back to the thread too: (Considering you can be religious without a belief in God... I don't see how having one deistic belief in God=religious. What's religious about it? What tenets are you following? It's just a belief in a deity. A religion is a specific form of theism or an atheistic religion such as Buddhism I thought. It has tenets... something to be devout, zealous or IOW religious about).

Atheists can convert theists I agree... in the sense that they can - at least in theory - say something that convinces a theist that God doesn't exist/probably doesn't/make them lose their faith. Just as a theist can - at least in theory - say something that somehow convinces an atheist.

EvF

[Paul the Human]

It is, however, highly unlikely that it will occur in a thread like this, the way the original post is asking. Could someone convince Godhead to stop believing in his 'God'? I'd bet a week's pay they couldn't... unless he is a Poe.

[Edwardo Piet]

His God is very flexibly or should I say loosely defined IMO. If God is everything and everything is conscious and he isn't looking for evidence for that but only feelings... it's kind of a messy belief system to convert because it's hardly even a system it's just... "everything is the same" "everything is conciousness" and 'that=God'. It seems to me.

EvF