cabalamat comments on The ideas you're not ready to post - Less Wrong

24 Post author: JulianMorrison 19 April 2009 09:23PM

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Comment author: MBlume 20 April 2009 07:31:45AM 4 points [-]

Theism is the first, and oldest problem. We have freed ourselves from it, yes, but that does not mean we have solved it. There are still churches.

If we really intend to make more rationalists, theism will be the first hurdle, and there will be an art to clearing that hurdle quickly, cleanly, and with a minimum of pain for the deconverted. I see no reason not to spend time honing that art.

Comment author: cabalamat 20 April 2009 05:44:47PM 2 points [-]

Theism is the first, and oldest problem. We have freed ourselves from it, yes, but that does not mean we have solved it. There are still churches.

Indeed. When a community contains more than a critical number of theists, their irrational decision making can harm themselves and the whole community. By deconverting theists, we help them and everyone else.

I'd like to see a discussion on the best ways to deconvert theists.

Comment author: CronoDAS 20 April 2009 10:19:10PM 1 point [-]

Capture bonding seems to be an effective method of changing beliefs.