Christians and atheist alike: were you ever swayed?

Question

I've been posting in this section for a while, it's almost an addiction. Still, I must wonder. The arguments fly back and forth, back and forth. And then a new guy asks the same questions and the whole game starts anew. Not that I don't enjoy myself, but,

has any argument from 'the other side' ever made you stop and wonder? Or do you reject all arguments from 'the other side' out of hand?

have you ever thought 'hey, this guy/girl has a point?' or 'hmmm, I never saw it in this light'?

Answer 1

There have been several times that the other side has presented some points that I never considered before. I don't immediately reject them. I think about them and I have even researched a few points.

Answer 2

I was baptised Roman Catholic and attended catechism until I was 16 years old. I walked to church every Sunday morning on my own from the age of seven until ten. At the age of ten, I began to question the veracity of Catholic beliefs. By eleven, I think I had more or less decided that God was sort of like Santa Clause - not real. I don't know why I continued to go to catechism, but shortly before my confirmation, Sister Francis Marie told me that if I didn't stop asking the questions that I was that I "would go to hell just like my brother will". (My brother had quit going a year or two before me). That was the end of it for me. I have never again seen or heard any shred of evidence to support the existence of a god and as such, stopped believing in the nonsense. No one has made an argument that even made me think twice. Certainly not anyone in this section. When I think about, even when I was little there was no evidence and no convincing arguments existed. I guess I was just young and ignorant.

Answer 3

Actually, I've heard all of these atheists' arguments before, since I have had, and continue to have, several atheist friends in real life; unlike some people, I don't live in a box. Some of the objections to religion in general, or Christianity in particular, that many atheists raise here have obviously occurred to me also many, many years ago. Many atheists seem to naively assume that simply because I don't agree with their conclusions, then I must have never questioned my faith, or otherwise wondered about the parts of the Bible or the parts of Christian teaching that can be difficult to accept. Many atheists seem to assume that Christians are not human, or that we don't think.

And it always amazes me how many atheists can state the obvious about the Bible (like how the genealogy of Jesus is different in Luke than it is in Matthew, for example) with such a sense of wonderment that they have been the first to have "discovered" some contradiction that no one else who is literate has never noticed before in the past 2000 years. Like they assume that we Christians do not read our own book, and haven't seen and thought about these very same issues over and over again, and have come to some reasonable & logical conclusion about how to resolve the apparent contradiction.

One cannot get me to abandon my faith by implying that I am stupid or illiterate. I've read and studied better atheist challenges to religion in college than any that I have seen repeated here. No offense to anyone, but it is true.

Answer 4

My dad is Jewish (not really very practicing) and my mom is Catholic, and I was baptized, and i believed in some stuff cause that's what i was supposed to do, you know, go to school, go to church, blah blah blah. As i got older i started questioning more, esp when the priests would ***** about gays and abortion etc, and i started to resent the church and realize that this is not something i had to do, so gradually i got to the point where i realized that there was no possible way for me to believe that a book written thousands of years ago, many years after the main character's death, by word of mouth only was true. After i realized this, I rejected the idea of a god and never thought "hmm, maybe this person's right"

Answer 5

No, frankly most of the arguments I see on here made by Christians I find to be rather pathetic uses of logical fallacies. I keep reading them hoping to find a rational logical argument. Just one. But instead all I see are either insults, complete lies, or are just rather silly. Sadly, I get better arguments from my 5 year old grandson for the existence of Santa Claus.

Answer 6

I hope that everyone would be open enough to Really listen to someone Else's point of view. I know so many people who just REFUSE to listen to anothers opinion.
I believe it is out of fear. That fear stems from NOT having a stong enough foundation in one's own beliefs. When some one says something that makes me think? Hmmm? This person has a point... I RESEARCH it. That means aasking questions. If I see his point of view as valid, I see how it fits in with my beliefs... If it doesn't, then maybe I need to change some things...and RE-think my beliefs (maybe I took what some one else told me was true for fact when I didn't research it.
Basically I'm saying we need to know what & WHY we believe something... keep an open BUT educated mind.. NOT let others TELL us what we believe..
Do your homework!

Answer 7

Aside from the WSIDR, Godzilla, Sho-nuff and a few other regulars, I haven't seen much in here that's actually "original" in argument. Most of what I read in here would go "splat" on the debate grounds before they had another thought, but then I'm an old fart who's studied religions since I was a kid so I've been exposed to huge CHUNKS of arguments from various religions that usually are way more intense than anything I find in here. I've seen Islam haul out arguments that would really make Christians and Catholics waver, and vice versa... and I'm surprised I don't see that here. Either way, I put out my 2 cents for what it's worth and people can take it or leave it.

_()_

Answer 8

I was on the other side, for many years. With a typically dysfunctional life I had no hope beyond what I could do for myself and what I could get out of others. People would from time to time try to talk to me about God and I would thumb my nose at them and curse God. But there were times I would ponder, later, what they said. Decades later, with a broken heart, I came to Him. He is making me whole, changing my heart and my life. Sounds sappy, but it's true and there are those reading this who know. God's word is the source we have today, our way of knowing Him. Preachers too, as long as they stick to the Bible. Today I try (I said TRY) to live according to His word. If whatever argument contradicts the Bible, then I don't give it any credence at all.

Answer 9

I have seen and acknowledged several people who've made good points for either side of the "the argument". Some people ask very thoughtful and intelligent questions that have made me think but they have not "swayed" me to change my personal beliefs.

Answer 10

I think if we're really honest, we all questions our beliefs at times and wonder if the other guy could be right. It's like, what if I'm the one that's wrong............he truly believes he's right too. And some really do have good arguments and express themselves well enough to make you take notice. I love good, honest discussions that are sensible, non-judgmental, and not embedded in bitterness. I like to hear other peoples ideas, opinions, beliefs, and reasons why.

BTW...........I'm christian. :)