The current state of religious debates

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I’ve really noticed the rise of a group of people known as “The New Atheist” which was harolded in by the likes of Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris. Etc… to be honest they kill the fun in debates. The biggest issues I’ve seen ,is instead of wanting to engage in intelligent conversation of the existance of the divine, they gave up logic and reason for illogical slogans and skepticism. For example, you used to be able to get into a good conversation with an atheist and discuss subjects such as mathematics, philosophy, and science. Then typically you both walked away with more information you had before,even if neither opinion changed. Now a days, getting into a debate with an atheist will give you the best solgams they heard on YouTube or from one of “the big three” so the conversation would go from informative to “I’m a an atheist which means I lack belief in a God, so you have the burden of proof while I don’t have to prove anything” or “show me evidence of God, you just cant use the entire universe or human freewill/conciousness or anything” and further yet atheist have become apologetically and now feels the need to do the one thing they always bashed Christians for doing…but I digress. However the modern day theist are becoming increasingly the same, providing the same basic arguments and then short circuiting when they face someone who.makes them expound on their belief more. So instead of providing a firm and sound defense of their position, they’ll typically bring up the same arguments over and over. Its just a shame that the most important conversation we can have today has become what it has…dry and circular.
 
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My one encounter with a New Athiest online involved him telling me Christians are psychopathic retards and leaving the conversation when I asked him if he’d like to talk about why he thinks that.

Naturally, based on that alone and from what I read and hear about other luminaries of this venerable movement (Dawkins, Harris, etc…), I don’t have a high opinion of them or their mental prowess.

I’ve tried reading Dawkin’s book “The God Delusion”. The man is attacking a strawman.
 
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I agree, it just seems like instead of becoming more and more passionate they have become apathetic and troll like
 
I think there’s a lot to be gained from intellectual conversation with athiests who are so for reasons other than that they think theism is stupid.
 
Salibi said:
I think there’s a lot to be gained from intellectual conversation with athiests who are so for reasons other than that they think theism is stupid.
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Well and I’m sure this will open me up to being attacked but now a days atheist will avoid the burden of proof like the plague. I think because it causes them to take a good look at what they actually believe
 
Today, atheists are just some frustrated nerds behind their computer making fun of religious people while thinking they have a degree in astrophysic because they saw a video on YouTube. Also “Facts and pure logic duh”
And I know what I’m talking about.
So yeah, a “discussion” with them will never go really far. Pure waste of time.
 
I had a Philosophy teacher in high school who was an adamant atheist, and whom I was constantly arguing with due to his vitriolic attacks on Catholicism. We ended up being good friends and great “intellectual” conversation partners, and he made me take a good, long look at my beliefs, which actually strengthened my Catholicism. He’s also a lot less anti-God now as well. We’re still friends.
 
Yeah that seems to be the conclusion of most the atheists I’ve dealt with
 
If you guys are only dealing with atheists (most likely trolls) online, I doubt you’re going to come into contact with the educated ones.
 
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Salibi said:
I had a Philosophy teacher in high school who was an adamant atheist, and whom I was constantly arguing with due to his vitriolic attacks on Catholicism. We ended up being good friends and great “intellectual” conversation partners, and he made me take a good, long look at my beliefs, which actually strengthened my Catholicism. He’s also a lot less anti-God now as well. We’re still friends.
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That’s the way it should be, now a days its turned into a screaming match that end up in ad hominem attacks
 
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Phill said:
“I’m a an atheist which means I lack belief in a God, so you have the burden of proof while I don’t have to prove anything” or “show me evidence of God, you just cant use the entire universe or human freewill/conciousness or anything”
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To be honest, everyone believes in something. An Atheist is also a believer but instead of God he believes in random chance and pointlessness. Look, quick change of words:

I’m a theist which means I lack belief in that there is no God, so you have the burden of proof while I don’t have to prove anything, show me evidence that there is no God, you just cant use the multiverse or human determinism/random brain electro-chemical reactions or anything.

Theism = lack of a belief that there is no God. I simply don’t believe that there is no God. So i’m not a believer, does this mean that i’m an a(atheist)? Wordplay.
 
I wonder if there are any atheists on the forums who can contribute to the thread?
 
Well another one of their favorite word plays is “you’re atheist to all the other gods in human history. I just take it one god further” its becoming a real problem lol
 
Let’s hope so because regardless of what people believe we need to make theological debates great again
 
We can make them great again by being patient, considerate, and not rising to the temptation of calling them “psychopathic retards” back.

I find that a simple “But why do you think that?” is enough to make an honest atheist stop spilling whatever vitriol he was spitting out and actually stop to think and answer. The thing is, they expect you to attack them back.

Not to say that I’ve always utilized this approach. Unfortunately, I’m not always “in the mood”, and I would respond to my detractors(be they Muslim, atheist, whatever) with an angry “ok, SHUT THE **** UP!”
 
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Salibi said:
I wonder if there are any atheists on the forums who can contribute to the thread?
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Well, I’m an atheist myself. I just have the possibility to critizise and make fun of our own flaws (Reason why I say that “I know what I’m talking about”, I was exactly like that)
 
Seeing your previous post, one would have been hard-pressed to think that. 😂

So I take it what you criticize is a percieved “hijacking” of atheism by computer nerds?
 
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Sure, i know that some Catholics are being weirdos too 😂. Don’t worry, nobody is against you John, i have atheist friends too, they are normal people - the problem begins when an Atheist feels the pressure to criticize/make fun of your faith. Same with believers…
Berlinski’s The Devil Delusion is a good book on that topic.

You’re in my prayers, i hope you’ll find the way. Greetings John!
 
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I consider myself agnostic overall with moments of atheism.

I agree there are some real pain in the neck, rude and unacceptable atheists out there. They also tend to be very vocal. Just like some Christians can be. I think that many of them are either early in their journey or ran into some unpleasant Christians when first attempting to have discussions with Christians…especially if those Christians were fundamentals.

I enjoy have theological discussions but I am not always very good at expressing my reasons. It doesn’t mean I don’t have them, just that I fail at expressing them. When conversations turn to heavy philosophy, I’m really at my weakest as I have difficulty understanding the terms and seeing the logic of the argument (even if it is a logical argument)!

I do enjoy immensely a good debate back and forth by a believer and non believer when they stick to the arguments and leave the rudeness and fallacies behind. I learn so much in those cases. The other types of debates that descend into name calling, strawmen, ad hom, etc. are worthless no matter if it’s the atheist or theist or both doing it.
 
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