Skeptic Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I debate with xians sometimes (though I think I'm going to stop looking for it because it's getting pretty tedious and I'm sick of hearing the same arguments over and over) and I can't help but wonder why some xians make the same point over and over no matter what you say. To me, it's like spam or getting the same pop-up when you go to a website. Here's my theory: they either think our skulls are too thick for the message to get through so figure they have to repeat it multiple times, they don't know how to argue their way out a paper bag so they keep repeating it over to distract from that fact, or they're just spammers. When I noticed this phenomenon, I decided that if someone keeps repeating the same thing over and over, or if they state it the exact same way twice, then I won't debate with that person because that person probably won't listen to a damn thing I say. There are some people that I've debated with, though, who have their heads on relatively straight, which is why I still do it on occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker630 Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I used to debate once in a while. I have given it up as a waste of my time. I will answer reasonable questions from Christians as well as I can, but that's it. I will point them to books or websites that can easily answer their talking points, but if they're too damned lazy to bother to do any homework on the subject then it's not worth pursuing it with them to start with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willybilly30 Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 All cultis know to say is what they are programmed to say like talking to a robot. Some actually study and think about things but very few. I tried debating with one today and it was nothing but the same thing over and over. I finally said I don't want to be a christian! They then said fine i'll quit talking about it lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Broke Free Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Why Do Xians Repeat The Same Point Over And Over? Because the stupid point worked so well on them last Sunday that they keep thinking they must be saying it wrong if I'm not buying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Why do they repeat it? Because the ideas they have are put into a loop. If they challenge the ideas and seriously think about them, they will notice they are wrong, so the meme virus protects itself by making them put it into a loop. It's like a trance, or zombie behavior. I noticed with some people who hum the same song over and over again while they're doing some monotonous work. It's like they're in a trance-like, robotic state of mind. And I think the repetition of the same arguments is the same thing. It's somehow the mind gone into a non-process mode and just keep spinning the same wheels without analyzing the data. So the simple answer is: a zombie brain does this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looking4Answers Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 It all depends on what they repeat. For example, if they keep repeating the same verse or the same biblical concept, it is because they have been taught that the word of god is powerful (even more than a two edged sword ... ooooh!) and that the word of god will not return unto him void, that the word of god will accomplish all that it is set forth to do (again ... ooooh!). They believe that our minds are blinded to the truth and only the spirit of god can break down the blindness and draw us to the heavenly sky daddy through his zombie son. So the verses and biblical concepts are used like a hammer to attempt to break through the supposed deception that the unbeliever supposedly lives in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 They believe that our minds are blinded to the truth and only the spirit of god can break down the blindness and draw us to the heavenly sky daddy through his zombie son. So the verses and biblical concepts are used like a hammer to attempt to break through the supposed deception that the unbeliever supposedly lives in. That explains a lot. There were a lot of people there accusing atheists of misinterpreting the bible saying that we weren't able to fully understand it and other such nonsense. I just ignore people like that. This is convincing me more and more that debate is a total waste of time. We think these people are brainwashed (well, I do anyway) and they think we're deceived, so why would either group listen to the other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I'm sick of hearing the same arguments over and over) and I can't help but wonder why some xians make the same point over and over no matter what you say. It reveals the depth of their argument. They believe that the word of god does not return void so all they have to do is repeat it. Most cannot fathom the lack of logic behind their arguments. There's a lot of disagreement over this but time and again the conclusion that the average person just isn't wired to process logical thought confronts me. Some say they don't want to be logical, but it really appears as if they can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brought None Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Your dealing with broken-record-thinking broken-record-thinking broken-record-thinking broken-record-thinking broken-record-thinking broken-record-thinking broken-record-thinking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looking4Answers Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 There were a lot of people there accusing atheists of misinterpreting the bible saying that we weren't able to fully understand it This may be because many Christians are taught that the things of god cannot be understood by the "natural man." It takes the indwelling of the spirit of god to understand them. Since the unbeliever does not have the spirit of god, then the things of god appear "foolish" to him. There are many verses in the New Testament that make this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I used to debate once in a while. I have given it up as a waste of my time. I will answer reasonable questions from Christians as well as I can, but that's it. I will point them to books or websites that can easily answer their talking points, but if they're too damned lazy to bother to do any homework on the subject then it's not worth pursuing it with them to start with. Yeah, same here. Debating with fundies is like bashing your head against a wall. Eventually, you get bored and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 I was "saved" for most of my life and I still couldn't understand xianity and the bible at all. Of course, then their counter for this was that I wasn't following the right god. Ugh. It never ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Here's my theory: they either think Bzzzzzzzzzt! [or] they don't know how to argue their way out a paper bag Bingbingbing! Well kind of. They repeat crap time and again because they have nothing else AND simply MUST NOT admit they've lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 There were a lot of people there accusing atheists of misinterpreting the bible saying that we weren't able to fully understand it This may be because many Christians are taught that the things of god cannot be understood by the "natural man." It takes the indwelling of the spirit of god to understand them. Since the unbeliever does not have the spirit of god, then the things of god appear "foolish" to him. There are many verses in the New Testament that make this case. Actually, I've always thought that this is cause xtians are taught they are not smart enough to understand the bible by themselves. They have the idea that the bible is too complicated to understand without their pastor's help, and that it says things other than what the words on the page say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Sorry, dbl post... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest QuidEstCaritas? Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Tell a lie, tell it often enough, and people will believe it. - Adolph Hitler I think many Christians operate on this principle at a subconscious level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker630 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 There were a lot of people there accusing atheists of misinterpreting the bible saying that we weren't able to fully understand it This may be because many Christians are taught that the things of god cannot be understood by the "natural man." It takes the indwelling of the spirit of god to understand them. Since the unbeliever does not have the spirit of god, then the things of god appear "foolish" to him. There are many verses in the New Testament that make this case. Actually, I've always thought that this is cause xtians are taught they are not smart enough to understand the bible by themselves. They have the idea that the bible is too complicated to understand without their pastor's help, and that it says things other than what the words on the page say. Scientology works like that---the same way the RCC did in the Middle Ages------only they can interpret the holy words. After slogging through a book that a Scientologist friend of mine pointed me to, I asked him why it read like gibberish. I mean the thing was stupid, and really didn't say much of anything. His response was that "they have people who know how to interpret this stuff". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I think xtians repeat the same arguments because xtianity by its very nature is based on circular logic. The only reason they have for their beliefs is faith. For the xtian, to admit that faith is not an answer to anyone would be to admit defeat, so they think if they repeat the same thing over and over, we stupid non-believers won't notice it and eventually get it. It's sort of like how in The Wizard Of Oz, the Cowardly Lion is afraid of bad things and thinks if he starts chanting "IdobelieveinspooksIdobelieveinspooksIdoIdoIdobelieveinspooks" over and over again, he can make the bad things go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddbird1963 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Evangelical Christians, in the training classes I took on the subject anyway, are told they have two effective weapons in their arsenal for winning people to Christ: 1) Scripture and 2) their "personal testimony." For the masses , anyway, there is no talk of syllogisms, theological proofs of God, theodicy, etc. There are a few prepackaged responses they are told to give in response to certain questions. There's exists the notion that the "word" has a power in and of itself. To speak the word of God over and over is just to compound the power of God. Isaiah 55:11 is often quoted by fundamentalists to support the idea that they can just speak the word of god to unbelievers with no thought to reason, logical consistency or scientific validity: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. A lot of evangelicals are taught the mindset of "just tell your testimony no matter what happens." Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; - 2 Timothy 1:8 Even if an atheist gets mad, berates them or curses at them, they can just keep telling their testimony over and over - - because all that matters is gettin' the word out. I think for most evangelicals, the lame arguments they use are considered part of the personal testimony. The results or the coherency of the reasons they give don't matter; just the obedience of "sharing your testimony" with an unbeliever. It is often considered an honor when an atheist or other non-Christian is rude or abusive toward them. So, because of the theological doctrines taught about speaking the word of god in the form of scripture and personal testimony, there will always be those who just repeat and repeat and repeat. They are racking up good little christian brownie points every time they do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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