Should we ever foster delusion?

[Astonished]

It's kind of scary that those people would be glaring at you for such a chicken-shit reason. I guess it shows how easily people can be turned on others. I wouldn't have prayed, either. They should be glaring at him for trying to start trouble, IMO.

It shows how religious mentalities foster hostility to out-groups if anything. And how they expect/demand undeserved respect for their delusions.

[shadow]

[Astonished]

[Succubus]

Should we foster delusion?

No, but we should choose our battles. Arguing with a random nutter in a train station isn't one of them.

The guy eventually wandered off and bothered other people with the same question. The funny thing was, EVERY other person nodded and smiled to him. Some people said stuff like 'of course' in a fake cheery voice.

As far as I can see every other person got it right. Nod, smile and back away slowly.

Once we boarded the train, he pointed towards me and told a group of random people that I had refused to pray for him. Suddenly half the train car was glaring at me.

More details please. Are these the same randoms he approached on the platform? How many was half the train car? Half of six is three, half of sixty is thirty.

he pointed towards me and told a group of random people that I had refused to pray for him.

How can you be sure of what he said?
"See that bloke over there with the headphones, he asked me to come back to his house for some sexy fun time".

So, I considered, why is everyone egging him on and supporting his delusions?

See above. You have no idea what this random nutter said.

There are some people, and we all know them, who there is no point arguing with.

How very ingratiating. Why the fuck did you bother in this particular case? Could it be just possible the bloke was a bored wind up merchant?

[True anecdote]
Danny, a friend of mine from years back was a master at fucking with peoples heads. One day prior to the pub session we stopped off at the fag shop and I spotted him pointing  at the sweetie counter. His delivery and timing was perfect.

'Excuse me miss, how much is that Mars Bar?'
The miss, utterly bewildered, replyed, twenty six pence!
After a few moments, Danny with one hand on his waist and the other stroking his chin said. Hmm, ok, I may be back later, I have a few more to look at.
I laughed all the way to the alehouse.

I'm not sure what the point of this story is, but as Danny would say:
"Improve your life, do these things, It is our duty to fuck with peoples heads, make the fuckers think."
Last I herd ten years ago was Danny was down to his last liver. So maybe the
train spotting blaggard was me old pal, reincarnated.

[chimp3]

In my youth I once pushed aside a street preacher asking to pray with me. I said "Go jump in a lake of fire , Christian dog!"

Now, I would respond as the OP did.

[shadow]

Should we foster delusion?

No, but we should choose our battles. Arguing with a random nutter in a train station isn't one of them.

The guy eventually wandered off and bothered other people with the same question. The funny thing was, EVERY other person nodded and smiled to him. Some people said stuff like 'of course' in a fake cheery voice.

As far as I can see every other person got it right. Nod, smile and back away slowly.

I don't know about you, but I still see a random nutter as a person (and for the record, this guy did not stand out as being that way until I had talked to him for a minute). Would you still react this way if it was a Joho canvasing you and trying to convert you? What makes this guy nuts but mormons and Islamic extremists sane?

More details please. Are these the same randoms he approached on the platform? How many was half the train car? Half of six is three, half of sixty is thirty.

How can you be sure of what he said?
"See that bloke over there with the headphones, he asked me to come back to his house for some sexy fun time".

Maybe 12 people or so. I could hear him talking to them. What you suggested would be a pretty freaking weird thing to tell a bunch of commuters about a teenage girl, right?

There are some people, and we all know them, who there is no point arguing with.

How very ingratiating. Why the fuck did you bother in this particular case? Could it be just possible the bloke was a bored wind up merchant?

This is sort of my question. Why did I bother? Why does anyone bother being the only sane one in the room?

[Dropship]

Guy: Can you pray for me? Can you pray for me to get a job and get a driver's license and find a girlfriend?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Somebody should tell him that's not the way it works!
15 years ago I was just out of jail (3 month vigilante rap), homeless, jobless, womanless and near-penniless, living rough in a tent in a remote wood shivering with thyroid problems, but not for an instant did I feel the need to pray for myself or ask others to pray for me because I was too busy laughing at myself.
"Great" I thought, "I've ended up as Bigfoot!
The moral? Our fate is in our own hands, I've always had christian values which make us regard the world as a cabaret, not to be taken seriously..

[Astonished]

Seems more like 15 years ago you were still in your sperm donor's sack. Surely Gam-Gam and Pop-Pop who foster your narcissistic delusions wouldn't deny you the room in their basement where you learned to type with one hand like you're doing now.

[Catholic_Lady]

But why are you so certain that theist folks are delusional though? Don't you think there is a chance that a theist could be right? 

I guess the reason I'm saying this is because my impression has been that most atheists take the stance that there is a possibility that some sort of god or gods could exist. There just isn't sufficient evidence for them personally to be convinced of it. 

It's a far jump from thinking that way to making the claim that theists are delusional. 

With that being said, you have every right to tell the man that you will not pray for him because you don't believe in it. That is your choice of course. But I just don't agree with it being referred to as "fostering a delusion" if you told him yes, when you can't be sure that it is a delusion.

[Kitan Etos]

But why are you so certain that theist folks are delusional though? Don't you think there is a chance that a theist could be right? 

I guess the reason I'm saying this is because my impression has been that most atheists take the stance that there is a possibility that some sort of god or gods could exist. There just isn't sufficient evidence for them personally to be convinced of it. 

It's a far jump from thinking that way to making the claim that theists are delusional. 

With that being said, you have every right to tell the man that you will not pray for him because you don't believe in it. That is your choice of course. But I just don't agree with it being referred to as "fostering a delusion" if you told him yes, when you can't be sure that it is a delusion.

Delusion is not a great leap.

When you logically compare theists, who believe in something without sufficient evidence to prove its existence, with insane asylum inmates, who believe whatever crazy stuff they do without sufficient evidence to prove the existence of whatever it is in which they believe, then it is easier to understand how delusion is not a big leap.

Psychologists today are slowly beginning to compare religious beliefs to delusion; the only thing that has kept religious belief from fully being described as a delusion is the sad fact that many people adhere to this thing called religion, as though the word alone is a safeguard against insanity.