Have you ever changed your mind during a religious debate?

Question

Recently, someone presented an excellent argument for the Trinity. I still don't believe it's true, but she convinced me it was possible.

Less recently, I was convinced that as an atheist, I couldn't justify my belief in victimless crimes.



Even if your core beliefs haven't changed, have you ever altered certain aspects of your beliefs?

Answer 1

Eleventy,
I believe in many cases we all should be able to say YES to this question. When we learn anything from another person then we have done this for certain. I have learned a great deal on this site from many people of different beliefs and I appreciate so many of you for allowing me to come here and converse with you on a regular basis. I do not have the same opinion as many of you on a number of subjects but I do believe you have a right to your own beliefs as I believe that we all should. Have a great weedk.
Thanks,
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Born Again
I am sorry that you feel the way that you do. I enjoy reading your answers at times and thought that you were at least interested in what others had to say at times. I am sorry that you were not. Have a great week and a wonderful Holiday Season anyway!
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Answer 2

I'm a conservative Christian, just to preface what I am about to say.

Yes, there have been times where I've been convinced of the truth of things other people have had to say. That does not mean I will ever be convinced that Evolution is fact, because many biologists aren't even convinced of it as fact. Yet, that does not make me close-minded as some people like to point out, that Christians are close-minded, it just means that I have figured out what I believe the evidence says. I wouldn't call an Evolutionist close-minded because he believes evolution is correct, I would come to understand that he believes that way.

I continue to grow and debate and learn every day. Sometimes it alters my core beliefs and sometimes an extraneous belief, and yet I remain optimistically open-minded to hear other people's view points.

Answer 3

"Recently, someone presented an excellent argument for the Trinity. I still don't believe it's true, but she convinced me it was possible."

What is an excellent argument *for* the Trinity? Do you mean she came up with an argument that made the Trinity internally consistent? So what? I can come up with reasoning which makes Greek Mythology internally consistent.

Lots of things can be possible - it doesn't say anything about if they are true.

Answer 4

The older I get, the more I realize how much I don't know. My core beliefs have not changed, but my beliefs as a whole are anything but static. It is hardly a mark of wisdom to think you could never be wrong about anything, ever. To refuse to admit that someone else at least could be right simply shows a lamentable lack of maturity.

Answer 5

Sometimes when all we want to do is tell people what we think and feel , this is met with argument and debate. there are times when I want throw up my hands and say ( I don't believe any thing) . I don't know who dictated that we cannot say what we think or feel, like wise who said we are not supposed accept other peoples opinions. I would give you my perspective on several subjects ,but that would take to long.

Answer 6

Of course. Change is good and nobody knows everything. No matter how "right" you think you are, there's somebody else out there who knows something that may call your beliefs into question and force you to re-evaluate your faith.

That said - usually a change of mind happens for me when a question is clarified. Its pretty common to take a stance on a poorly formed question then revising your stance when the question itself is "revised".

Answer 7

Sorry, purely examine relatively this, yet i think of i'm getting the gist. And yeah. i in my opinion think of "hell" is an invention to scare human beings into being greater non secular. additionally, maximum folk of historical religions arose to describe "magical" issues, such by using fact the sunlight putting and turning out to be. the individuals of historical anyplace-the-hell-land have been in all threat relatively gullible as nicely, because they probable hadn't seen something interior the way of optical illusions, and are renowned for exaggerations and metaphors. maximum folk of religion is done BS for my area. specific, i admire the messages they portray, however the hypocracy overwhelms it. through a few distance my time-honored is buddhism, regardless of the reality that i do no longer think in literal reincarnation, it would be my nicely suited determination if atheism wasn't obtainable.

Answer 8

Only on minor points that really aren't part of the central argument. I've tangentially changed my mind on things that do matter like abortion.

Points like rather the trinity is possible really don't matter to me because the basic idea of a god is flawed, so it would be pretty easy to persuade me because frankly I don't really care enough to give it any real thought.

Answer 9

In a truly religious debate both sides are armed to the teeth, so no. But, if you just step back and think of it on your own, yes I finally have.

Answer 10

Debating with christians just reaffirms what I already know. I've yet to come across someone with a decent argument for why their religion is real.