Has anyone discovered a successful way to make religious people atheist?

[Phosphorescent Panties]

I've observed over time that religious people do not use logic to defend their arguments. They may use logical fallacies or gotchya questions to try to back up their positions, but they know that there's no logical basis for the arguments that they try to make. So, it's difficult to argue with these people, because they don't think scientifically. Science is self scrutinizing and changes what it believes based on the new findings of it's studies. If someone isn't willing to open their mind up to new possibilities and eventually realize the absurdity, that there's really no logical reason to believe god exists, how could they ever become an atheist?

On a purely hypothetical basis, regardless of why you would want to change someone's beliefs, I pose this question. Why someone would want to change someone's beliefs is a matter of personal opinion, not everyone in the atheist community may even think that people should have their beliefs taken away. I firmly believe that to advance as a society we should try to make people think more critically, for a better well being of humanity. I believe that atheist thinkers have some of the strongest minds, I've observed this by listening to them and following atheist talk shows, which strike me as more intellectual and in tune with the world around them. This is to me, why striving for a more atheist world would be beneficial.

[Minimalist]

Xtians and muslims used to threaten people with death to get them to convert.

That would probably still work.

[abaris]

Their own brain. That's the only effective way.

And by the way, I don't care, since I don't care for missionaries. And the prospect of being one is something to barf over.

[ApeNotKillApe]

You need a ball peen hammer and a live stoat. Should be obvious what to do with them.

[Phosphorescent Panties]

I don't think I have any negative feelings over trying to convert people to atheism. I find religiosity annoying, the thought of converting someone to atheism gives me joy.

It sort of makes me wonder how the first people to ever start religions like christianity or islam did it. Whether it was some charles manson esq figure, who actually had so much charisma that he was able to get people to follow him. Or if it was imposed by people who believed they could control others through threatening people with the punishment of god. Either way, someone was insane and manipulative enough to start cult religions like Christianity. I'm sure there's many people who just developed religion because it's the human mind's natural defense mechanism for explaining things they can't understand, to insert a supernatural meaning.

[Aegon]

People generally just come to the realization themselves. Weird way to phrase the topic title though. I don't know why I'd want to make anyone think anything.

[Phosphorescent Panties]

People generally just come to the realization themselves. Weird way to phrase the topic title though. I don't know why I'd want to make anyone think anything.

Idk why making people atheist has to be seen as a Machiavellian scheme, when it can be as simple as telling someone some scientific facts. I believe that being predisposed to science not only gives you a broader perspective of the world, but it will probably make people who really pay attention less religious. That's just my theory, because I've always loved science and payed attention it, I feel that it's help make me that way. That doesn't seem dubious at all, in fact it seems like a very good thing.

[robvalue]

Encourage people to go read their holy book.

Properly read it. Not cherry pick the bits they've been told are the important parts.

The bible especially has been the number one book for creating atheists. Christianity survives because of people's general apathy towards reading it. They make huge assumptions about it, and actually reading it can sometimes shatter them.

[Mudhammam]

I've observed over time that religious people do not use logic to defend their arguments. They may use logical fallacies or gotchya questions to try to back up their positions, but they know that there's no logical basis for the arguments that they try to make. So, it's difficult to argue with these people, because they don't think scientifically. Science is self scrutinizing and changes what it believes based on the new findings of it's studies. If someone isn't willing to open their mind up to new possibilities and eventually realize the absurdity, that there's really no logical reason to believe god exists, how could they ever become an atheist?

On a purely hypothetical basis, regardless of why you would want to change someone's beliefs, I pose this question. Why someone would want to change someone's beliefs is a matter of personal opinion, not everyone in the atheist community may even think that people should have their beliefs taken away. I firmly believe that to advance as a society we should try to make people think more critically, for a better well being of humanity. I believe that atheist thinkers have some of the strongest minds, I've observed this by listening to them and following atheist talk shows, which strike me as more intellectual and in tune with the world around them. This is to me, why striving for a more atheist world would be beneficial.

If I have learned anything from these forums, taking religion out of the equation doesn't translate into rational thought--which is what democratic society requires. The solution is more science, and more importantly, more philosophy. What sparked the scientific revolution? The Renaissance. What brought about the Renaissance? The humanist movement. What was the humanist movement? A rediscovery of the classics: The Greek and the Roman writers, steeped in the culture made possible by thinkers like Homer, Plato, and Aristotle.

[robvalue]

Yeah. I see education as the best "weapon" against all form of irrationality. Good, quality, reality/evidence based education. It's a peaceful and painless way to chip away at all absurd and harmful notions, over many generations.

I'm not suggesting other approaches aren't sometimes needed, especially in extreme situations, but I think this should be the underlying strategy.