Ever changed someones mind through debating?

Question

One question and a comment...

Have you ever convinced someone to change their mind through debating?

I like to consider myself an open-minded person and I like to have my beliefs tested. I find debating people gives me a reason to look into exactly why I believe what I believe. So then, if you're of like mind send me a message and perhaps we could debate.

Here's a list of some of my beliefs so you know where I'm comming from. I believe...
-in (the Christian) God
-we are saved at baptism (not prayer)
-macro-evolution does not explain the world we live in
-God does not typically answer the prayer of unsaved people
-Those who have not heard the Gospel will not likely enter heaven

Some of these things I'm not terribly dogmatic about. I just hold them as positions because they best fit the evidence I've seen so far. So feel free to contact me. Thanks!

Answer 1

I am agnostic. I love to debate but, when someone with firm beliefs in something has their faith shaken by me I tend to feel bad about it. I don't want to change peoples faiths, I just want them to accept the possibility that there are other answers. Good Question.

Answer 2

Very well put question! I applaud your tact, my friend.
I am a non religious pagan and would like to question one of your beliefs, if I may.
"-Those who have not heard the Gospel will not likely enter heaven"
Say for example, there is a tribe in the middle of nowhere, never having met a missionary, so therefore never having known about Jesus or any christian beliefs. They all strive to live life to the best of their abilities, doing good and just things and instilling good moral codes within their society. Why is it they would all go to hell? Even if by some unrealistic chance they never did anything that could warrant being called 'sinful', according to christian belief, they would be eternally damned. I have always found this to be a perplexing consideration. Would you like to share your thoughts on this? Are their exceptions to the rules of the bible? If so, where does one draw the line?

As to answer your initial question; yes I have changed people's views and have had mine changed before also. To be so narrow-minded as to assume ones beliefs are above change when faced with another equal possibility would be quite arrogant and far from self beneficial to say the least.

:)

Answer 3

I believe that you can truly change someones mind by debating if the person that you are debating with does not have a clear stand or broad knowledge of the topic up for debate.

If you debate with someone that has really studied and has the material to back up what they have concluded themselves to be true it is very hard if not impossible to change that with just words. Once a person has made a sound conclusion on a topic based on what they believe to be true, I think the only thing that may change that is some experience in life that may lead them to question the topic again.

Answer 4

In a public debate you never know what might influence a person who is participating perhaps mainly as an observer, I think debate tends to become too polemic and it wedges people into the I'm right you are wrong mind set and it's unlikely you will influence an opponent in a debate directly...maybe over time. I would not agree with you on any topics you listed.

Answer 5

Debates are purposeless by definition:

"I'm going to change your opinion of what you believe to my opinion of what I believe, AND you are not going to change my opinion of what I believe because I KNOW I am right."

It's commonly assumed that a debate is two-sided, which is far from reality. In the debate mentality, one side always assumes there is only one side (their side) and the other side is just some sort of neurotic talking living anomaly espousing some sort of verbal delusion.

Verbal Intercourse( not sexual) is more liking to produce some change in a personal perspective because by definition, intercourse is an "exchange" in this case being ideas. The premise is assumed that both parties want the exchange of ideas and are open to those ideas as a plausible alternative to their own original perspective.

As a great mind once said on Y!A (not me) :
"How do you conduct a two-way debate with a one-sided mind?"

After reading this, needless to say, my opinion on debates has been changed.

Answer 6

We do NOT debate. We do NOT argue, But we welcome any that open their ears to the truth. We cannot convince anyone to believe in God, that is the job of the Holy Spirit. All we do is bring the message and if this person accept the truth is because the Holy Spirit has place faith in this person, because he or she was willing to believe.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 1 Peter 3:15

"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." Matthew 18:15


Yes, I also believe that you need to be baptist in water to be save, but think that how would you get to know God is you don't speak to Him. Even after baptism people continue sinning, and through prayer is how you ask for forgiveness, if you really mean it by heart. Other wise, they gonna have to continue to get baptist every time we sin.

Answer 7

Looks pretty good to me Brodie-

--I would re-examine salvation at baptism-that is not consistant with Scripture.
--those not hearing the gospel will "likly" not enter heaven-may be debatable. God tells us in Romans 1 that all mankind will know of Him and be without excuse. Those who never hear the Gospel will be dealt with-God does not tell us how He will judge them. We do know that anyone who rejects the gospel will burn.
I do not wish to debate you, but I think you should take a fresh look at the two things I mentioned above.

Answer 8

Yes, though not everyone. When there is an open structured debate on an issue and the participants stick to an issue as oopsed to a political debate where they dance around issues and try to sell image and persona, it is possible to affect chnage in someone's attitude. I've had it work on debates over evolution and creationism (the older name for intelligent design) as well other environmental and scientific issues.

Answer 9

I am a lot like you. When I debate with other people, the other people beliefs always seem to contradict themselves and I am reassured of my beliefs. I have changed peoples beliefs about certain things but it usually took these people to have some experience that made them question their beliefs. I would just express my beliefs and why I believe this and it usually works.

Answer 10

Sorry, I like to verbally debate and also, I only disagree with you in one area (I believe we are saved through prayer and baptism is just a public expression of that act), so don't think we'd have much to discuss.