Desrtopa comments on Recent de-convert saturated by religious community; advice? - Less Wrong

30 Post author: jwhendy 04 April 2011 03:25AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (158)

You are viewing a single comment's thread. Show more comments above.

Comment author: jwhendy 04 April 2011 03:28:29PM 3 points [-]

I have had some success in writing very long and complete essays...and putting it on a blog or website.

Good to know. I have been entertaining that idea as well and started trying to make it real at my blog.

Then when someone asks why I believe X, I just tell them I'll send them a link to the essay.

This is extremely appealing. While further debate might arise later, I think this would quite defuse the situation and avoid the pitfalls of on-the-spot debates (especially since person-to-person discussion almost always lacks the ability to provide sources).

I have had good experiences with religious people by confounding as many atheist stereotypes as possible...

Interesting tactic! I'll have to ponder this one. In my circles, the Lewis trilemma is still thought to hold and they don't think very fondly of the Jesus-as-great-teacher crew.

...not bringing the issue up but having a few overwhelmingly strong points that they will agree with when it is brought up...

Could you expand on this? I'm not sure I understand what overwhelmingly strong points you might bring up that your opponent might agree with. Would this be something like priest scandals? Or not having your prayers for understanding answered?

I also find that if my goal is just to end an argument without losing too much social capital or coming across as confrontational, I get better results with emotional rather than intellectual points...

Another interesting strategy I'll think further about. I'm tempted to think I've already adopted this sort of strategy, though more so through being overly "hazy." Earlier, I would go into far more details, whereas now I've found that if I just say that "I'm not convinced," and offer as few supporting details as possible, I do end up at your example destination: person shrugs, presents puppy-dog stare of pity/compassion (fine line...), and says they'll pray for me.

Thanks for the response; there are some great points to ponder here and perhaps this is the encouragement I need to finally write my "summary of non-belief."

Comment author: Desrtopa 04 April 2011 04:12:20PM 5 points [-]

Interesting tactic! I'll have to ponder this one. In my circles, the Lewis trilemma is still thought to hold and they don't think very fondly of the Jesus-as-great-teacher crew.

Even as a nine year old reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, it was clear to me reading Professor Diggory's advice to the other children regarding Lucy that C. S. Lewis simply did not understand crazy people.

The obvious fourth choice is that Jesus was deified after his death, and that the parts where Jesus appears to claim unambiguously to be divine were tacked on as the tradition built up around him, but provided that Jesus lived at all, I think it's actually more likely than not that he was at least a bit crazy.

Comment author: jwhendy 04 April 2011 09:09:05PM 0 points [-]

The obvious fourth choice is that Jesus was deified after his death, and that the parts where Jesus appears to claim unambiguously to be divine were tacked on as the tradition built up around him...

And off to the races on whether the scriptures are historically trustworthy, the "four facts" of WLC, etc. I do see your point, but the pill wouldn't go down very easily :)

Comment author: Emily 04 April 2011 06:24:44PM *  0 points [-]

Do you mean regarding Susan (when she stops believing in Narnia)? Otherwise I can't recall the section you're referring to and would be interested in a reminder!

Edit: oh, I've just realised you're probably talking about the very beginning, when Lucy has seen Narnia and none of the rest have. Never mind, sorry.