According to one Christian, here are Five Ways Not to Debate an Atheist

[kashmir]

I don't debate atheists because they are always right.

I don't do it because I am starting to feel bad for them for all the times I have proved them wrong.
Like taking candy from a baby. :yes:

Why do we say that?
Take candy from a baby, we don't give babies candy, they are still on formula and cant even eat candy yet.
"like taking candy from a diabetic" :sarcastic
That's it, that's why I don't debate atheists.

 

[Norrin-6-]

Attack science? Go for it, so long as you discard all intellectual dishonesty in doing so.

Tell someone they don't have morals? Surely not a good tactic, please refrain.

Clichés don't always keep one's interest but putting them on a list of things to avoid is far from necessary.

Ignoring insights is quite a pet peeve of mine. I would dig for a response, otherwise call you on it and put an end to the discussion.

Not sure why debating (at all) should be avoided. The website you got this from won't load for me at the moment so I'm in the dark on what reasons were given.

At the end of the day, you really can get away with most of these because I'm not that pedantic about what you're saying (or not saying).

 

[CynthiaCypher]

I don't like debating atheists when my sole purpose is just to win the argument. I don't think that is right.

 

[Thana]

Can you think of any other things not to do when debating atheists? If so, why shouldn't you do them?

Dismiss them.
I find a lot of theists do this, I myself did at one point.

But I've learned that wisdom can come from many sources, And especially from people whom you disagree with.
I've learned a lot about myself and my beliefs thanks to some friendly atheists, So I think debate is good, Aslong as you're not trying to convert.

 

[Norrin-6-]

Dismiss them.
I find a lot of theists do this, I myself did at one point.

But I've learned that wisdom can come from many sources, And especially from people whom you disagree with.
I've learned a lot about myself and my beliefs thanks to some friendly atheists, So I think debate is good, Aslong as you're not trying to convert.

One of the things that kept me listening to atheists was the knowledge that I could see the world like they did. I didn't want to just hear about how they viewed the world, but I wanted to understand it. Not only did I come to understand it but eventually I began to experience it for myself.

If I could give a message to anyone of any belief or frame of reference, I'd tell you all that there are people who believe differently than you. There is a path that brings you to that other place.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

I found this short article, which was published in a Christian magazine, to be interesting -- even though the author mentioned some ways "not to debate an atheist" that I seldom have seen employed here on RF.

Oh, and also the author fails miserably to mention that you should always debate atheists while properly attired -- which means in loincloths, and nothing else.

Can you think of any other things not to do when debating atheists? If so, why shouldn't you do them?

I have personally found wearing a loincloth to be an effective means of engaging with atheists, often ending with positive results and immediate conversion as they praise your anti-establishment and trendy fashion sense.

However, the risk of loincloth falling off should not be ignored or disregarded, as such an event will inevitably lead to a disastrous and unsuccessful conversion, unless one is dealing with a nudist atheist.

 

[TheGunShoj]

I found this short article, which was published in a Christian magazine, to be interesting -- even though the author mentioned some ways "not to debate an atheist" that I seldom have seen employed here on RF.

Oh, and also the author fails miserably to mention that you should always debate atheists while properly attired -- which means in loincloths, and nothing else.

Can you think of any other things not to do when debating atheists? If so, why shouldn't you do them?

I voted not to attack science.

For some reason theists love to attack evolution, cosmology and abiogenesis thinking that it gives them some kind of footing for their argument. Regardless of what you think about these scientific fields, disproving them does nothing for your argument, you still have to provide evidence for your own claims.

If evolution were proven false tomorrow, you don't automatically get to assert that God is the answer, the answer just becomes "I don't know".

 

[Desert Snake]

I don't like debating atheists when my sole purpose is just to win the argument. I don't think that is right.

I really don't understand this, so it's like arguing for nothing...
I don't want to argue with someone who can't possibly change my mind..

 

[Iti oj]

Anti science is my pet peeve.

 

[Iti oj]

I really don't understand this, so it's like arguing for nothing...
I don't want to argue with someone who can't possibly change my mind..

Aren't you happy understanding and being understood?

 

[icehorse]

I'm an atheist for many reasons, but one precise reason is that I've never read scripture that I found convincing. (I do like the Tao, but I don't think that qualifies as scripture, does it?)

I'm always curious to know where theists think their morals and values come from. Citing scripture as a source of morals and values seems flat out silly to me.

_____________
defend net neutrality - "without love in the game, insanity's king"

 

[Apex]

I found this short article, which was published in a Christian magazine, to be interesting -- even though the author mentioned some ways "not to debate an atheist" that I seldom have seen employed here on RF.

Oh, and also the author fails miserably to mention that you should always debate atheists while properly attired -- which means in loincloths, and nothing else.

Can you think of any other things not to do when debating atheists? If so, why shouldn't you do them?

Interesting article, and very good suggestions. I think these are also fairly applicable when turned the other way, an atheist debating with a Christian. It also reminds me of a youtube video I saw recently, 9 Things Atheists Should Stop Saying:

[youtube]2L9nuGVKdg0[/youtube]

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I'd say the best advice would be to not do the same things one should not do when debating with anyone: don't use logical and argumentative fallacies, don't be intellectually dishonest, don't confuse rhetoric and semantics for actual arguments, don't be hypocritical, and don't take it personally when you lose.

 

[icehorse]

I'd say the best advice would be to not do the same things one should not do when debating with anyone: don't use logical and argumentative fallacies, don't be intellectually dishonest, don't confuse rhetoric and semantics for actual arguments, don't be hypocritical, and don't take it personally when you lose.

nice list!! (I'm gonna borrow it)

_____________
defend net neutrality - "without love in the game, insanity's king"

 

[kashmir]

Odd how the guy in the vid is deciding what both sides should think on faith and other things, that makes no sense.

"I lost my faith, so therefore I am right and your faith is wrong"
"I demand evidence for miracles and since you have none, you are wrong"

What part of if you don't believe in God, that is on you, not the believer to prove him to you?
A believer has zilch to prove to anyone.
I could only listen to the first few mins of that video, the arrogance is just beyond words.

This is exactly like getting divorced, having your heart broken, and judging every married couple and demanding them provide evidence that their marriage will last until they die and since that is impossible to do, he claim victory as being right.
"all marriages will fail, they are wrong, look at billy bad *** me"

I can beat him without even trying.
"Provide evidence to prove to me that you lost/beat/never had your faith and since you can not do that, you are wrong and have faith" :sarcastic
Goes both ways.

 

[Ouroboros]

9 Things Atheists Should Stop Saying:

[youtube]2L9nuGVKdg0[/youtube]

Well... I did lose my faith. I didn't give it up. It just went away. The doubt grew over the years and nothing I did helped me get it back. So I can't say that I lost it but should say that I grew out of it, defeated it, or gave it up instead? I don't think he makes any sense. It wasn't growth that make my faith disappear. I didn't fight it to get rid of it. Rather the opposite. I tried to keep it. Did I give it up? Not really. It was just slowly dwindling away until one day I realized I didn't have any left. Perhaps a better term would be "my faith dried out"?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Yeah I have one I see a bit. When debating an atheist, declaring oneself a former atheist isn't helpful, it doesn't make a person a better theist.

That'd be strange to imply being an ex-atheist makes one a better theist; it sounds like it'd be calling atheism superior.

 

[kashmir]

Well... I did lose my faith. I didn't give it up. It just went away. The doubt grew over the years and nothing I did helped me get it back. So I can't say that I lost it but should say that I grew out of it, defeated it, or gave it up instead? I don't think he makes any sense. It wasn't growth that make my faith disappear. I didn't fight it to get rid of it. Rather the opposite. I tried to keep it. Did I give it up? Not really. It was just slowly dwindling away until one day I realized I didn't have any left. Perhaps a better term would be "my faith dried out"?

Do religious people, when you talk to them, demand proof that "it just went away, that you tried to keep it and it just dried out?"
Just wondering, if they do then I can see his point.
People like this guy make no sense to me, can he be that ignorant to realize the stuff he is demanding from believers cant happen?

 

[Ouroboros]

Do religious people, when you talk to them, demand proof that "it just went away, that you tried to keep it and it just dried out?"

Some have accused me of never been a "True Christian". Some even said I was misled by Satan. No one asked me for proof that I was an atheist though.

And... I don't ask Christians of proof of God either anymore. People rationalize their belief or unbelief based on their experiences and knowledge. What we, each on of us, know, we know because what we've learned over the years. Our experiences differs. So therefore our conclusions differ. How we rationalize our beliefs or lacks thereof most of the time can't be measured up to proof. We can however ask "why do you believe this or that" or "why don't you believe this or that." And that's pretty much it. We can however argue if those reasons are valid or not (at times). I find most of the "proofs" of God to be very weak. A God that created the universe would not need a philosophical proof based on dubious premises. If a person, however, has personal experiences of God, then that's their evidence for them, and that all good.

Just wondering, if they do then I can see his point.
People like this guy make no sense to me, can he be that ignorant to realize the stuff he is demanding from believers cant happen?

It's all a learning experience for all of us. How to argue. Why we believe one thing or another. We're all trying to be philosophers.

I don't really demand religious people to argue a certain way or not, but I will speak up if the argument used is hurtful or offensive. (Yes, atheists have feelings too! )

 

[kashmir]

Some have accused me of never been a "True Christian". Some even said I was misled by Satan. No one asked me for proof that I was an atheist though.

And... I don't ask Christians of proof of God either anymore. People rationalize their belief or unbelief based on their experiences and knowledge. What we, each on of us, know, we know because what we've learned over the years. Our experiences differs. So therefore our conclusions differ. How we rationalize our beliefs or lacks thereof most of the time can't be measured up to proof. We can however ask "why do you believe this or that" or "why don't you believe this or that." And that's pretty much it. We can however argue if those reasons are valid or not (at times). I find most of the "proofs" of God to be very weak. A God that created the universe would not need a philosophical proof based on dubious premises. If a person, however, has personal experiences of God, then that's their evidence for them, and that all good.


It's all a learning experience for all of us. How to argue. Why we believe one thing or another. We're all trying to be philosophers.

I don't really demand religious people to argue a certain way or not, but I will speak up if the argument used is hurtful or offensive. (Yes, atheists have feelings too! )

Yes religious people can be hateful.
An ex-friend was very very hateful to me, made the WBC look innocent.
The whole church I went too were.
But I understood why, they thought they have to be that way to save souls, in an odd way, its from actually caring about those they are around.
they only do that to people know, its not a door to door thing.

The guy in question, is now back on drugs, left the church and is a total hypocrite and dont want to hear about god now.
The same god he used to shove down my throat