Are you willing to convert a theist?

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Mardze's picture
Are you willing to convert a theist?

Ok guys, I'm a theist. I'll give you a situation..
What if you have a friend, a close friend who is a theists and has a strong faith on his religion, are you willing to do everything to convert him into atheism?
Let us know your opinion...

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ex-christian_atheist's picture
No, I have no wish to convert

No, I have no wish to convert any of my theist friends or family to atheis,. I just ask that they respect the fact that we have different beliefs. It would be wonderful if they didn't believe in something for no good reason, but I don't feel the need to force them not to believe it. I might go so far as to try and get them to qustion why they believe it, and urge them to view their beliefs objectively, but if they find that there is justification for their beliefs and they are convinced, I have no reason to try and change that. As long as their religious views aren't negatively affecting anyone besides themselves, they can believe in whatever God they want.

Jeff Vella Leone's picture
I only would engage with a

I only would engage with a theist if I see that he is intelligent enough to question stuff and not accept them because some one said so.

Since theists most likely all fail in this, i see them as robots, mentally enslaved by something, that they themselves do not understand.

I feel no need to help people who are not willing to find the truth.
If a slave is happy with his situation, there is no amount of reason that will change his mind.

I hate wasting my precious time on such stupid individuals, so NO I am not willing to do everything to convert him into atheism.

Clockwork's picture
This is a rather useless

This is a rather useless question, to be honest. Unlike theists, the huge majority of us don't see a need to go around and "convert" the masses. Why would we actively try to take away their faith? We don't have a church to maintain or some sort of cultural demand for a crowd to agree with us.

Unless that theist has shown doubt about faith, why would we bother? The obsessive need to convert others is a theist ideal, not atheist one.

Ellie Harris's picture
Yes Mardze I am and have. Its

Yes Mardze I am and have. Its time consuming and you need patience. This book may help you
http://www.amazon.com/Manual-Creating-Atheists-Peter-Boghossian/dp/19395...

kean17's picture
Nope. Definitely won't.

Nope. Definitely won't.
As an atheist, I didn't convert to atheism. I just came to the realization that it isn't necessary for any deity to have created the universe. Atheism is not another religion. It's a state of mind. If I have a friend having a strong faith on his religion - and indeed, I have, many of them, actually - I will advise him to look critically on his belief, objectively and without bias. Not only that, I will recommend him to take a serious look on countless other religions in the world aside from the one he embraced and compare them all. There are differences, but certainly more similarities. There are many things to consider, evidently. And as he does so, he must check if his own belief has any concrete evidence to support itself to be taken as valid. And if there are no such evidence, well, that's faith - a belief having no sufficient validation, an illogical stand. Isn't it a shameful belief to depend upon?

mattyn's picture
If we, as atheists, go around

If we, as atheists, go around trying to convert everyone to our way of thinking, we would become the exact thing that we don't believe in. I will argue my point all day long, but I won't try to "convert" anyone.

Joseph Breton's picture
I only talk about religion

I only talk about religion with friends if they are the ones to bring it up. My best friends are pastor's kids, and they are still very much involved with the church. But, when I call them up or they call me we just talk about work, or what's going on in our lives, etc.

Zaphod's picture
Why would you want us to? You

Why would you want us to? You are a theist yourself right? Would you like someone trying to change your belief to something different than it was. If for some reason your friend asked my opinion he would get my honest opinion, but honestly what they believe as long as it does not effect anybody else is nobodies business but theirs.

Jeff Vella Leone's picture
What if you have a friend, a

What if you have a friend, a close friend who is an atheists and has a strong reason for it, are you willing to do everything to convert him into theism?
The question should be turned around since that is what evangelism is for.
:P

Lmale's picture
My creed is to not go looking

My creed is to not go looking for converts thats a religious obsession. But if i see a theist on an atheist site or comments section like utube atheist videos talking trash they are fair game and i will crush them with facts and logic.

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