So, how do you state things in ways that forcefully attack the ideas without attacking the person?
General Essays: -- Topics that relate to religious belief in general
Christianity: -- Topics specifically related to Christianity
Islam: -- Topics specifically related to Islam
Challenges: -- Responses to arguments and frequent challenges
References: -- Useful bits of information that should be readily available
I’ll be posting more essays, tactics, and general references in the near future.
Many of these arguments will be fairly unique, or at least use a unique approach.
The main point of this website is not the arguments in particular; although by themselves it should be an interesting repository — especially if you are just starting out.
Feel free to use as many arguments that you find useful or interesting as often as you like. It’s useful to have an outline of the thoughts already written out for you, but I’m not looking to make clones of myself with everyone parroting the same exact arguments. The point is to give you the skills, methods, thought processes, and tactics to handle arguments as you encounter them — AND TO GO OUT THERE AND ENGAGE PEOPLE.
Here are a few things to think about as you journey into the wide world and engage people of all kinds of beliefs.
Beginning Considerations:
First consider the audience -- who are you arguing with, and who is hearing your interaction.
Arguing with your parents requires different considerations than arguing with a street preacher on the corner.
Second, decide who you are trying to convince. If you are talking in a setting with an audience, perhaps you aren't trying to convince the person you're arguing with -- but the people who are listening.
Third, and very important, find out what the person you are talking with ACTUALLY believes.
Fourth, stay focused on making statements and arguments that he would fundamentally have an issue with; i.e. consider what kinds of things would be most compelling/devastating to their worldview. Ask yourself, "if I could convince this person that this point is true, could he say, 'all right, so what?' If so, stop arguing that point!"
Fifth, make the most defensible claim that you can (which is often a weaker claim than you may initially want to argue). An example of this: Mohammad's moral example could be improved.
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To promote skepticism/critical thinking I wrote some questions for the Christian believer. Mefiante from South African Skeptics made a good translation. She is now working at the last part. The most sophisticated questions. Are you able to put the link to these questions at your blog.
Thank you very much,
Piet - Rotterdam - Netherlands.
The original questions
http://www.freethinker.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3...
The translation http://www.freethinker.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3...
The first one who did this, was Jonathan. This is a good example. http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/tough-questio...
You are very very silly. Your logic fails. Quite amusing in its weakness, though, so thank you for the laugh, it cheered me up.
I find atheism to most often be a personal rejection and more importantly a reaction to religious claims that they are exposed to.
this seems less a manual about intelligent discussion and more "how to most effectively convert someone who doesn't think like you"
it's not too different from Christians tactics for conversion, letting the "nonbeliever" feel more comfortable and keep practicing their pagan yule traditions.
a better tactic for a "conversational atheist" would be to be curious about others' beliefs and respect their differing perspective rather than trying to find fault and convert.
@Fnordfox - Should one be interested in trying to attain the most accurate understanding of reality as possible? If that's the case, then it's important to distinguish between beliefs and ideas that are probably true and those that are probably not true. Additionally, because people act according to their beliefs, they may do harmful or suboptimal things according to inaccurate or incorrect beliefs. These actions often affect others as well. Therefore, it is important to try and attain the most accurate understanding of reality as possible and to encourage others to do the same. If one justifiably thinks many other people have incorrect ideas that lead them to potentially harmful or suboptimal behavior, then engaging with them so that they may reach an accurate understanding of reality is certainly appropriate.
Stick around, you see this quoeitsn all the time on here. The diehards on both sides (but especially christians with their be ye not yoked with unbelievers , they're the most adamant) say no, but then you get the people on here that have been happily married to people of different faiths for years. I would hope, at least, that if religion is going to be an issue, they would find that out while still dating. And if you do want to marry, settle ahead of time which of your religions (if any) you would want the kids to be raised in.Just don't count on any love conquers all bullpucky to gloss over any potential problems.