Comment by Alexander Baez Ubeira on September 22, 2010 at 11:16pm

@Jake
"So my response was impatience and intolerance? So asking someone what they believe and why they believe it, is uncivilized?"
It was not my intent to suggest any of the cited, while expressing my disagreement. When referring to civilized debate an allusion was implied to your advice to her, given that dissent is not synonymous with aggression. Nevertheless may be the cause of it, when dealing with the chronically deluded, which was the main caveat my opinion sought to address.

Given the right circumstances your advice is sound, there are examples of this: young atheists, surrounded by believers that manage to confront them in their views, bringing a speck of enlightenment to them, a bit of scepticism and reason; that may mature and grow in some of them when the time is right. If this is the case, in this particular conundrum, I agree wholeheartedly with your position.

It might have been a mistake of my part, to express my opinion in contrast to yours, not being my intention to affirm that you were incorrect but rather to temperate the advice that was being given to JuJu. (Considering especially that she appears to be a minor in a pretty peculiar situation).


Cordially yours
Alex

Comment by Jake W. Andrews on September 22, 2010 at 11:34pm

@Alex

No worries! How are things on the Chilean front?

Comment by Michael Sizer-Watt on September 23, 2010 at 11:00am

I like the "taoism" answer. Might help, depending on how Jesus smitten they are. The other thing you might try is very carefully pointing out that jesus doesn't approve of ill wishes on other people. That could backfire too, so I wouldn't be cocky about it. Try to make it sincere, and show that being good matters to you, and that it should to them too. Sorry to hear about this - it must suck bigtime.

Comment by Becca on September 23, 2010 at 12:45pm

Maybe you could make a quick informative video or give some sort of informative speech/presentation on what exactly atheism is and what it isn't. I don't see how giving them information about atheism could backfire it may get some of them to start thinking and at least hopefully alleviate some of the negative stereotypes they maybe holding. I'd personally wouldn't debate them though that would almost certainly backfire without a good moderator. I'd just stick wit presenting the facts whenever you can about whatever the topic is that you are working on in class.

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