Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Johnny on January 21, 2010 at 9:19pm

This is one you have to be careful with, that you don't want to step in the no true Scotsman pile.

I really like your quote there. I've tended to stick with somewhat similar lines of thought. I try to point out that while unbelief is technically atheist, there are intellectual degrees. Someone claiming unbelief to rebel or because they have never been presented with religion is significantly different than someone who has seen religion and its evidence, examined and logic'ed through things and come to unbelief via skepticism.

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Permalink Reply by Dave G on January 21, 2010 at 9:26pm

This is a common claim. Sometimes it is true, sometimes it's added to try to give the person 'street cred'.

You're off to a good start, discerning that there are different reasons why one might not believe in a deity. Unbelief arrived at via ignorance (never told about gods) or emotional reactions to events is going to be less stable than that arrived at via reasoned thought and consideration.

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Permalink Reply by Mikel Hensley on January 21, 2010 at 9:43pm

I'd say "Lots of different atheists have different reasons to be atheists. What were yours and why did you change your mind." I'd be pretty confident that I would simply not agree with their reasons for changing their mind, and would tell them so.

After all, I think why you believe something is more important that what you believe.

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Permalink Reply by Dave G on January 21, 2010 at 10:18pm

Very nice, Mikel. I think I have a new answer. :)

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Permalink Reply by Wendy on January 22, 2010 at 4:29am

hear hear!!

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Permalink Reply by Nelson on January 21, 2010 at 11:45pm

this is the perfect answer as far as i'm concerned. that someone was once a believer in something and then changed their mind is irrelevant. the evidence and or logical argument that has a person adopt one or another position is what i'm interested in. if the evidence isn't forthcoming, or is week, and the argument doesn't hold water then who cares what the person once upon a time before changing their mind.

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Permalink Reply by Dan on January 22, 2010 at 3:06am

Yeah this is pretty much what I tell people who try and pull the whole "I used to be an atheist" thing on me. I really don't care what you believe now. I only care about why you believe it. Richard Dawkins himself could become a Christian tomorrow and I would not care. The only that would matter is his reason changing his mind and whether his reason stands up to scrutiny.

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Permalink Reply by Silenus on January 21, 2010 at 9:44pm

I would just turn it around on them, and start asking them why they did not believe in a god. And if they can't give u a good reason than, chances are they are just saying that to try to find a "middle ground".

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Permalink Reply by Brian Spears on January 21, 2010 at 10:41pm

I'd ask them if they suffered a massive head injury sometime around the conversion, mainly because I think pretty much anyone who asks that sort of question isn't being honest, either with you or with him or herself. But that's me, and that approach won't work for everyone.

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Permalink Reply by Neil on January 21, 2010 at 11:00pm

I like how this normally segways into a "You'll see the light one day." or some derivative thereof.

To which I normally reply that I already have.

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Permalink Reply by Matthew on January 21, 2010 at 11:16pm

I tell them that i have seen "The Light" and it was the "Light of Reason" not myth and superstitution.

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Permalink Reply by Ross on January 21, 2010 at 11:00pm

I would just reply "of course you were an atheist when you were born" and just quickly move on from there.

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