ATHEISTS: What has been the most success you have had at meaningful dialogue with a FUNDAMENTALIST believer?

Question

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What did you do to contribute to the positive atmosphere?

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Answer 1

I had a coworker trying to explain to me that everything must have been created and as an example he used his cell phone.

I explained to him that the cell phone did not just pop into existence but was a result of evolution, he laughed at me but after I explained to him it was a direct result of years of our discovering the environment through our evolved brains that we were able to make use of elements that already existed, and properties that always existed and manipulate them in such a way to make a cell phone. He did not agree with me but I think I might have shown him things are not quite as simple as he thought they were. Perhaps he just felt it was pointless to continue the conversation, but that in itself felt like a successful conversation with an elite fundamentalist.

Answer 2

I've wanted to ask this question for a long time, because most of the friends that i have are believers.

And of course when alcohol gets involved 9/10 times a conversation about religion does come up. Usually i will go off and say how blind they are to be following their faith and listen to how they say crap about "gods will" or "free will" ... we can't have meaningful dialogue with believers unless they are willing to rationalize and listen.

Answer 3

Having talked to many theists through religious internet chat programs--there comes a point where the fundamentalists stop interacting--it could be about a 6 thousand year old planet--or that other man/gods have been born of a virgin--died & rose from the dead for the sins of man--or indeed the fact that man has created & worshiped another 8,000 Gods throughout history.--That's when the fundie reverts to personal attacks.--He ain't got nowhere else to go!!

Answer 4

I once asked my FUNDIE brother (much to my mother's dismay) if he could see that it was wrong to amend the constitution to ban same-gender marriage? He admitted that maybe the job of the constitution was to define the workings of the government and define some of the rights of citizens, not to make law and/or deny rights of a group of citizens. Unfortunately my "victory" was short lived as he immediately said, "but if they ever legalize gay marriage than I would scrap the constitution and run this country on GOD'S LAW!" Needless to say I do not discus religious matters with him. I visited a couple of weeks ago and for some reason even though we both live in NH the topic of the passage or the civil union bill did not come up.

Answer 5

I've never had a meaningful dialogue with a fundamentalist, because they won't rationally discuss their beliefs. If they did, they wouldn't be fundamentalists.

Answer 6

I don't know that I've ever had a conversation with a fundamentalist believer. I look forward to the day though ...

Answer 7

I knew a fundamentalist in high school that I actually got along fine with. We simply didn't talk about religion. We mostly just talked about music.

Answer 8

Sup Coolest:

Alright you have now had a short conversation with a fundamentalist

Answer 9

Fundamentalist need Fund

Atheist pull a Heist

Cheers

Answer 10

Explain your beliefs, tell them you accept theirs as they are, and then have a calm discussion about it. I'm no longer atheist, but agnostic but that is how I found the best general way to go about it.