Is it possible to have intelligent conversation with an evangelical Christian?

Question

Is it possible? Or are they so busy trying to "convert" you, that they don't listen?

Also, I have found that I get a lot of "canned" answers. These are things that people are taught, and they repeat them without thinking. ie: "God hates suffering, and it's really satan's fault."

Don't get offended, now, I'm not saying Christians are "stupid"....

What do YOU think?

Jay K, you illustrate my point beautifully!

Wow! Lot's of hate from the fundies! Can't say that I'm suprised!

Answer 1

Like you said, it's not always a matter of intelligence. I've met some very intelligent Christians. It's more the fact that these intelligent but heavily indoctrinated Christians aren't really interested in an open dialogue. They're just waiting to tell you the "good news" that they have. Or they listen to you only to figure out which Bible passages to quote at you or standard Christian apologetic answers to use.

It depends on the level of their total commitment to their Christian ideology. But that's always how it is whether you're talking about Christians or Marxists or hard core right-wingers or left-wingers, etc. The more they get wrapped up into the official party doctrines, the more difficult it is to interact with them like a normal human being.

Answer 2

You can't have an intelligent conversation regarding their faith because it was not arrived out through the use of their intellect. But you can certainly have an intelligent conversation with many of them on a variety of other topics which I have been delighted to find evangelicals concerned with.

For instance, many are quite concerned about the Iraq war, and not simply as a matter of holy war on Islam.

I have found many to be highly concerned about the environment, considering it a matter of stewardship.

I have also found many concerned with the growth of economic disparity, universal healthcare, corporate malfeasance, and the dominant role of croney capitalism in the GOP and the government under the GOP.

I think the Republicans are counting their chickens before the eggs have hatched if they think evangelicals are going to support them en bloc as before, having been suckered by the Karl Rove strategy twice. Just because they may have been conditioned to not think through their theological convictions does not mean they are generally stupid or incapable of nuanced thought in other areas. You don't get that impression from some of the posters here, but I think they represent a particularly low-brow segment of evangelicalism. Or at least I hope so.

Answer 3

I am a Christian - and though I will talk to folks about my faith I will not push it on them - Jesus did not push it on them. If someone does not want it, then that is their decision and their right. I think that is the example given by Christ.

I also do not consider myself an "evangelical." Those folks irritate me.

I know a lot of extremely intelligent Christians. I know some who are not smart. I know a lot of dumb non-Christians, and I know a lot of very smart non-Christians.

It does seem that many of the answers are pre-fabbed - but that does not mean that they are wrong. If someone were to ask you what the sum of two and two are, you would still say four. You've been taught that, it will always be right. But, I think I know what you are talking about. It seems that their answers lack conviction because they are more of a tape recorder. There is little confidence in their answers because it was given to them like a multiplication table, rather than a "discovery approach" to learning. Therefore, the answer to me, anyway is annoying.

There are Christians who can think for themselves and will. There are atheists who can't think for themselves and won't. It is not so much on what you put your faith in, but in how much you want to invest in what you believe in. Both groups like anything are going to have a diverse demographic.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

I can't answer your question Christians, insulting others. . .

That is a show of an immature faith - we have to grow, and that takes time. Sadly, we often say hurtful and disrespectful things in our zeal to defend that which needs no defender. I have to say that I'm disappointed - you called Christians "stupid" though you said you weren't, and then turned around and yelled at them for getting mad at you.

I'm not defending them - they are wrong. However, you are playing the hypocrite too, insulting but not allowing others insult you. Hmmmm. Interesting.

Have a nice day! = 0 )

Answer 4

The requirement for alledged evolutionary techniques to artwork is hundreds of hundreds of years, even billions of years. get rid of that factor, and the evolutionists haven't any play. testing for age is complete employing radiometric/ radioactive assessments. There are diverse assessments including uranium-lead, potassium-argon, strontium-rubidium, and others. Carbon-14 relationship is frequently used. some assumptions, that are previous the administration of a laboratory technique, have not been dealt with, including; Atmospheric Carbon-14 is in equilibrium. it particularly is misguided, and assessments have proved that it is increasing. this ability that something that fluctuate into alive hundreds of years in the past, does no longer have absorbed as maximum of the component as a greater recent living being. Then testing could make it look like their maintains to be have been lots, lots older. yet another variable is the theory in prepare, that decay fees are consistent. no longer actual the two. Decay fees may well be altered by employing many factors, which incorporates the 11 twelve months photograph voltaic sunspot cycle. (I even have yet to end the article approximately scientists making coal from flowers, it is indistinguishable from coal dug up out of the floor. It basically took them a month to produce it.) Evolution has no information. Do you think of that the fossils have been dug up looking like Piltdown guy, or Neanderthal guy? No, they weren't. They have been rather some chards of bone, and an artists mind's eye. There has no longer been provided, in over a hundred years of the Evolution theory, a living, intermediate transitional specimen of any species in evolution. i think of that version has fostered many varieties of the living species we see. including while a dogs grows a thicker coat for the wintry climate. yet guy did no longer start up as monkeys, or simians, or apes.

Answer 5

Chanel 9,
I would hope that you really did not mean to categorize every Atheist, Agnostic, Evangelist, Muslim, Budhist, and every other spiritual person into their own little Educational Channel. I believe that each and every one of us was given certain abilities and gifts from our FATHER. Intelligence is just one of those "gifts". I have met a number of "Evangellists" who are able to give wonderful thinking and are able to hold their own in many conversations even if I do not agree with them religiously. I am a Fundamental Christian but I do not believe that I must continually push you toward Christianity unless you are asking a religious question. Then, I might do so if it seems appropriate. I LOVE people and I LOVE our FATHER in Heaven. Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.
Thank you,
Eds

EDIT:
Jonathan,
Throwing mud certainly does not assist in clearing the air and will never gain you in her eyes. An IQ test is rather a silly thing to even consider. I do exceptionally well on tests but I NEVER challenge anyone in this manner. Please be considerate of others. My grandma always said if we can't say something nice, we don't need to say anything at all.

Suzanne and Liuon of Judah are both brilliand evangellists by the way. If you want to have a great conversation, send one of them a note. BOTH of them know a great deal about the scriptures and will never give you a "canned response".
Thanks again,
Eds

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Answer 6

You are saying Christians are ignorant, which I think is worse than calling them stupid, but I'm not really mad with you. You can't generalize about everyone though, most Christians don't try to convert you or force their beliefs on you right away. A lot of Christians are probably more afraid that you will yell at them than you are afraid that they will "convert" you. Also, if Christians do it for the right reasons, they talk about God and explain their testimony because they care about you and want you to go to Heaven. You can have an intelligent conversation with Christians and we aren't obsessed with religion all the time, we can talk about other things. Thanks for reading, have a nice day.

Answer 7

I am an evangelical, and the only christains who push you to convert... aren't really strong believers. Strong Christains love everyone, and try to have a normal conversation 99.9% of the time, unless the person they are talking to really needs help. So, most evan. Christains, like me, that you might see on the streets, love God dearly, but don't push it into other people's faces. God Bless You.

Answer 8

I do it all the time. I've had athiest friends respond to me in shock somewhat that I actually can participate in these discusions.

I don't have conversations in order to convert, I think that is pointless, my words will never convince anyone. Only God's revelation will convince a person. My duty is simply to live the best I can according to the standards Christ set. If I respond to people in love, willing to listen and understand them, they may see God and want to know more. My eloquent debating skills are nothing if I don't have love.

Answer 9

If you want to have an intelligent conversation with an Evangelical Christian, send me a message. I'd be happy to answer and I'll even promise no "canned" responses will spring forth from my keyboard.

Answer 10

I am a christian, and you can have a conversation with me, I will not "try" to convert you as you say- BUT I will defend the word of God, if I need to.
So if a question is answered with scripture, or biblical answers- it is because I am showing what God says- not what man says.
I do share the gospel, and those who are willing to hear, well great, praise God! But those who do not wish to hear, I do not track them down and continue shoving it at them.