Website review: Ebon Musings: How Not to Convert an...
lamina discovered this in Atheist/Agnostic
•12 reviews since Jul 1, 2005
atheist
•ebonmusings.org/atheism/hownot.html
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Reviews of this website
lamina discovered 37 months ago- Great Conversion guide - well written and thoughtful
- Korinthian rated 3 months ago
- Most religious people you discuss with break many of these rules. Defending religion sadly always turns people into worse people.
- Branch4 rated 5 months ago
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There is no special way to approach atheists that differs from the way one would ordinarily approach any other person; atheists are human beings just like everyone else, after all.
- mrchaucer rated 5 months ago
- Let me start by saying, I'm a Theist. A Christian in fact. I really like Ebon Musing's approach to this whole topic. As a Christian, I have been involved in many debates and been subjected to similar treatment from non-theists, name-calling, ad hominem arguments, called a liar, stupid...the list goes on... On the other side of the coin, I have seen "Christians" treat non-theists in the same manner. I think I get more outraged at the "Chrisitians" than the non-theists, since Christianity has a moral standard that is easy to define. Not that atheists are amoral, but I know of no standard to which all atheists would agree was the moral base of atheism... Anyway,..I ramble...I wish more people from 'both sides of the isle' would read this page and apply this type of behavior modifier to their lives whenever dealing with disagreement. Every person, every human being has intrinsic value, and as such should be treated, spoken to, answered, and referred to with decency and proprity. Thanks Ebon for being a great example. http://the-reality-check.com There are some articles in the Non-Violent Self Protection section of this page that are worth a read and relate to how we deal with others in a climate of disagreement.
- home8896 rated 14 months ago
- I like these articles. I wish I had read them many years ago, when being the only non-theist about, and most theists I worked with seemed to think I should be one way or another, as well as not being as clear and concise with my wording as these articles, made for very frustrating conversations. One point I want to make, though, in looking back at those who were most persistent with attempting to convert me, most were not trying to convert me at all. Most were trying to convince themselves that they are right and righteous, and that a person like me who demands more than blind faith in life is inferior. That seems to me, now, to be the basis for why most of my downward trajectory conversations with the proselytizers ended with threats that I was going to hell. It was as if the shaky nature of their own beliefs had to be propped back up with the one real reason they have their faith - because they don't want to go to hell. These conversations were rarely ever real attempts to save my soul, but rather a way to blurt out (more to themselves) why they were far more superior a specimen of humanity than I could ever be. That is the gist of why I don't even bother with these dialogs anymore.
- hoppingsnail rated 16 months ago
- And, the same guy who explained what would convince him that his Atheism is incorrect, also tells us in detail what tactics would not convince him. What more could a Theist ask for?
- Codebender rated 16 months ago
- Good advice, but it sure doesn't leave you with much. Those points would eliminate 99.99999% of the theist babble on the internet.
- austinmathews rated 16 months ago
- Good advice for talking with someone with any type of differing viewpoint, not just on religious matters.
- pennamechris rated 17 months ago
- I'm wondering if the next Theist that comes knocking on my door would read this if I read one of their pamphlets. *goes to print out page*
- Morosoph rated 18 months ago
- The most important thing to realise is the universality of this advice. So many of us have causes, whether it be conservatism, liberalism, libertarianism, environmentalism, or whatever, and so frequently we presume to know the natures of those whom we are opposing. If we're serious about getting them to take our position seriously, we need to stop making assumptions, and if our own beliefs require those assumptions, it is time to start looking for a firmer foundation for one's beliefs that doesn't require our opponents to be devils.
From the page: "Some readers may feel that the items enumerated on this list are all matters of common courtesy in any dialogue, and not applicable just to atheists. I completely agree with such a sentiment. There is no special way to approach atheists that differs from the way one would ordinarily approach any other person; atheists are human beings just like everyone else, after all. The problem is not that atheists are inherently more difficult to communicate with productively, but that there are many religious organizations that persist in actively spreading misinformation about atheism." - The most important thing to realise is the universality of this advice. So many of us have causes, whether it be conservatism, liberalism, libertarianism, environmentalism, or whatever, and so frequently we presume to know the natures of those whom we are opposing. If we're serious about getting them to take our position seriously, we need to stop making assumptions, and if our own beliefs require those assumptions, it is time to start looking for a firmer foundation for one's beliefs that doesn't require our opponents to be devils.
- Nattybug rated 19 months ago
- The only problem with this list is that most theists that I know or come in contact with wouldn't even take the time to read this. Sad really.
