What do you think?

In another thread, Sheldon had this to say:

Good question! So I am asking the question: What do you think it would take for a theist to become unconvinced – maybe not abandon their faith, but at least put it aside?

Put another way, what tactic do you think is most likely to result in their deconversion?

Since I started this thread, I’ll go first.

Here’s what I think doesn’t work. Frontal assaults. Vigorous defense. Anything harsh. I think that only hardens their resolve and their defenses – and, of course, the more brutal the attack, the stronger the defensive reaction.

Here what I think works. Allowing them to come to their own conclusions. Asking question we know are difficult.

Like: Why are there so many religions? Why is a person’s religion usually the same as parents?

Or: Have you ever seen a creation event?

Seeds of doubt, I think, work slowly but more certainly.

What do you think? What would work for the theist we see come to this site?

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My concern is not that someone who is a theist deconverts from their chosen flavor of god(s). My concern is the too frequent theist push to create / maintain theocracies.

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I am not sure anything really works for the theist muppets that visit this site. Very occasionally we have had one that enters as a seeker and leaves with a plateful of ideas.

I do find that the historical approach can undermine the rigid dogmas, but only if they are willing to look at the subject themselves and not be misled by YouTube “pastors” and propagandizing theists masquerading as bona fide historians/archeologists.

I have had long and I hope fruitful discussions with some. And I have planted the seeds of doubt in the obvious myths and stories of their faiths.

Most who visit here came to war, not to seek.

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There is only one way to challenge a bad or poorly reasoned idea, and that is with a better idea, based on sound reason. That people cling to bad or pernicious ideas, or poor reasoning doesn’t change this.

In my time here I have known of only one theist, who after many months of some fairly antagonistic debate, came back and claimed he was reconsidering his beliefs, and he was a Muslim. I had challenged his claims about Muhammad, and pointed out he is described as marrying and having a sexual relationship with a nine year old girl, He asserted it was a great honour for the girl and her family. I finally asked him if he had children, and he said he had two daughters. I asked how “honoured” he would feel if a 50+ year old raped one or both of them when they were 9 years old. It shook something loose in his reasoning anyway, and despite bitter defence, he eventually saw that what he was defending was the rape of a nine year old child.

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My feeling is that causing a theist to reconsider religion is like treating someone who is suffering from Stockholm syndrome.

I also believe that it takes a “peak experience” like some catastrophy, or a sudden awakening that happen when one broadens one’s horizon.

I also think that everyone is different, so I’m sure that there are lots of exceptions to this ideas.

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