Brother Jeff Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 http://m.wikihow.com/Persuade-an-Atheist-to-Become-Christian My comments from Facebook: Wow. So many possible responses to this, and it's definitely worth a lengthy response on my glorious blog. But their advice to Christians to actually read and research the Bible? Don't do it! That is, by far, the fastest way I know of to become an atheist! And...their assertion that every time the Bible speaks about science it is accurate is laughably absurd. Almost every time the Bible addresses a scientific subject - if not EVERY time -- it gets it totally and often hilariously WRONG! But... that is to be expected from a book written thousands of years ago by men with little in the way of scientific knowledge. And, the Bible quite clearly teaches a flat earth. Oh, and conversion to Christian faith is not at all a "beautiful thing". It is a tragedy that often leads to years of totally unnecessary fear, guilt, shame and ignorance. Not to mention clinical depression often caused by needless fears over an imaginary religious concept called "sin" or over needless fears that one is not really "saved", given the fact that there is no God and no such thing as "salvation". Also no such thing as "saved" or "lost". That is a false distinction drawn by a demonstrably false religion. Anyway.... much more of a response coming later on my glorious blog. Glory! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 So just how many atheists have they persuaded into accepting Jesus so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jeff Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 So just how many atheists have they persuaded into accepting Jesus so far? Zero? I'm sure most atheists who know much at all about the Bible or the Christian religion would find this glorious guide as amusing and unconvincing as I do. Of course, there are plenty of former "atheists" who have quite publicly become hardcore Christian believers and apologists. Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel immediately come to mind... I can remember actually taking both men quite seriously back in my hardcore fundie days, but I certainly don't now... McDowell's famous book "More than a Carpenter" was already several years old when I got sucked into the cult in 1985 at the age of 19. I remember owning a copy of it, but I don't think I ever actually read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker001 Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Anyone who interested in becoming a Christian should read the bible all the through and come to their own conclusions, including the stories that were not included in the bible. If the bible is the "True" word of God, shouldn't you let God's works speak for themselves. Humans are faulty, and even religious leaders are not immune to their human flaws. Everyone who is or considering to be Christian, should have an understanding of what the implication of the title "Christian" means through understanding the beliefs and written word of the faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violetbutterfly Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 When listing their good qualities, include that they are "religious, devout, etc. Their religious fervor is going to impress an atheist. This is my favorite part. I don't know about you, but I'm impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 I can't believe I read that whole article. I think I deconverted all over again. mwc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator buffettphan Posted September 6, 2014 Super Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2014 Oh what a great link. I saved it under my "Religious Whackjobs/Whackiness" folder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 There are 25 steps in all and it boils down to acting like IronHorse. IronHorse's behavior hasn't persuaded anybody. To people who have seen Christianity from the inside these actions look fake. The friendship is phony when it is done to further an agenda. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jeff Posted September 7, 2014 Author Share Posted September 7, 2014 Oh what a great link. I saved it under my "Religious Whackjobs/Whackiness" folder. Bless the Lard, Sister! Glory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellinas Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Actually, I find this article disturbing. The concept of "knowing your bible" (albeit from an uncritical, "it must be right because it's the word of god because it says it is" standpoint) is nothing new (and, coming from a background where reading and understanding the texts from the Christian viewpoint is considered of the highest importance, it almost strikes me as a laughably obvious and irrelevant point for the writer to make). My problem is with the psychology of this article. It is insidious. What this is aiming at is an outline of how to slowly befriend, wear down and pressurize an "unbeliever" into conversion by making them dependent upon their relationship with the Christian. It boils down to "be nice, sow ideas, make friends; at least some of them will agree with you in order to preserve that friendship". To me this is no laughing matter. It's a strategy to compromise a person's ability to make a truly individual choice. And that is utterly objectionable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Talk absolutes like Good or Evil? Makes me think of Ravi Zecharias's "Let My People Think" program. His straw man "either / or and both / and" arguments. Anyone who wants to talk absolutes of good vs. evil, which I think most would agree exist, all we need do is pull examples from the Bible and see if the Christian would be willing to do any of these acts God ordered people to do. Modern Christians are far more moral than their god is. Making excuses for the immoral acts only serves the relativistic straw man fallacy they intend to attack. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ crazyguy123 ◊ Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 So just how many atheists have they persuaded into accepting Jesus so far? I imagine that the atheists that have been "persuaded into accepting Jesus" would be the ones that became pastors or well-known evangelists because they knew they could make a profit off of manipulating gullible people who were willing to believe anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellinas Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 So just how many atheists have they persuaded into accepting Jesus so far? I imagine that the atheists that have been "persuaded into accepting Jesus" would be the ones that became pastors or well-known evangelists because they knew they could make a profit off of manipulating gullible people who were willing to believe anything. Well, in one of my more mischievous moments, it occurred to me that, if atheism is the "default position", presumably as many atheists have been persuaded into accepting Christianity as there are Christian converts... I'm now going to go and hide! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overcame Faith Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I can sum the whole concept of persuading an atheist to become a Christian in three words: provide convincing evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ crazyguy123 ◊ Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 So just how many atheists have they persuaded into accepting Jesus so far? I imagine that the atheists that have been "persuaded into accepting Jesus" would be the ones that became pastors or well-known evangelists because they knew they could make a profit off of manipulating gullible people who were willing to believe anything. Well, in one of my more mischievous moments, it occurred to me that, if atheism is the "default position", presumably as many atheists have been persuaded into accepting Christianity as there are Christian converts... I'm now going to go and hide! Eh, you're right about that, since atheism is, after all, a lack of belief in gods. Perhaps I should have said skeptical atheists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Well, in one of my more mischievous moments, it occurred to me that, if atheism is the "default position", presumably as many atheists have been persuaded into accepting Christianity as there are Christian converts... Sure but most of those Christians didn't get that way from the methods outlined in the link. Most Christians were either indoctrinated from birth, raised in some other religion and converted or they were preyed upon when they were going through dire stress. Christians are famous for the last one. They look for people hooked on drugs, people who are on the bottom of life, those who just lost a loved one or are going through divorce. The Christians offer so much conditional friendship and acceptance and in many cases this works. The Christian narrative says you will turn your life around and sometime that gives people the courage to finally kick a habit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jeff Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 For anyone interested, I finally got around to writing a response to this glorious article. http://religionisbullshit.me/persuade-atheist-become-christian/ Glory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azisbest Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 I have read the xtian bible many times. And with every reading I am more and more convinced of its mythology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts