How to Persuade an Atheist to Become Christian:

[Ricky Spanish]

You have been doing it all wrong according to WikiHow:

http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-an-Atheist-to-Become-Christian

[Hope]

You have been doing it all wrong according to WikiHow:

http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-an-Atheist-to-Become-Christian

The best way to 'persuade an atheist to become a Christian' is probably to ignore them    

[Shaker]

The best way to 'persuade an atheist to become a Christian' is probably to ignore them   

How does that work?

[Brownie]

Why try to persuade them?  It won't work.

[Hope]

How does that work?

From my understanding of human development, whilst information needs to be expressed and explained, values and understandings are better illustrated.  Hence the famous saying, often attributed to St Francis - "Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words".

Clearly, on a virtual medium where words are the sole means of expressing things, 'not using words' is problematic.

[Owlswing]

You have been doing it all wrong according to WikiHow:

http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-an-Atheist-to-Become-Christian

This has, I seem to remember, been posted before.

It was then, and is now, a carefully devised exercise in duplicity and says lot about how Christianity works in America to gain converts at any price.

[OH MY WORLD!]

I doubt many people of faith dropped God after reading those stupid atheist slogans on the sides of buses, considering atheism is continuing to die off.

"How An Atheist Found God"
http://www.everystudent.com/wires/atheist.html

[Shaker]

Dear me.

If the travesty of "reasoning" on display in that farrago of twaddle is what leads some people to God, you'd think some sort of sense of embarrassment would lead them to keep quiet about it at least.

[Leonard James]

I doubt many people of faith dropped God after reading those stupid atheist slogans on the sides of buses, considering atheism is continuing to die off.

"How An Atheist Found God"
http://www.everystudent.com/wires/atheist.html

Anybody who can be convinced to look for "God" needs it. The majority of atheists don't feel that need. Those few of us who have been in both places are probably in a stronger position than those who haven't.

[floo]

There are some very decent Christians, but I suspect their faith has absolutely nothing to do with them being good people. There are some very nasty people claiming to be Christians, one or two of whom reside on this forum! They use the Bible as an excuse for their ghastly behaviour; the deity featured there is not a role model for good behaviour.

[Hope]

There are some very decent Christians, but I suspect their faith has absolutely nothing to do with them being good people.

What do you mean by a 'good person', Floo?  It is such a bland phrase as to make it just about meaningless.  Remember that the Pharisees regarded themselves as 'good people' and Jesus was probably more critical of them than of anyone else.

There are some very nasty people claiming to be Christians, one or two of whom reside on this forum! They use the Bible as an excuse for their ghastly behaviour; the deity featured there is not a role model for good behaviour.

Whilst I would agree with the first part of this, Floo - there are pretty nasty people the world over, regardless of their religious standpoint.  However, I would also point out that the reason we tend to regard them as nasty is precisely because they haven't used the Biblical deity as a role model!

[Sassy]

You have been doing it all wrong according to WikiHow:

http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-an-Atheist-to-Become-Christian

According to Wiki, since when have you followed or listened to the advice of Wiki?

True believers do not Persuade, coax or cajole.

It is misleading to think that befriending, helping or even the way we treat and talk to others will lead them to God.

Romans 16:18King James Version (KJV)

18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

The truth is that the Truth about Jesus Christ stands on it's own.

Truth faith comes by hearing the word and believing.

King James Bible
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

People are often lead to the LORD, by the Christian living their lives with God in Christ.

If your relationship is a true relationship with God. Then you can only pray others will come to find God, too.
A person may ask you about your faith and you can share it. But no one can persuade, Coax or cajole someone to believe
in Jesus Christ and God.
It has to be their own way through Christ.

[ProfessorDavey]

I doubt many people of faith dropped God after reading those stupid atheist slogans on the sides of buses, considering atheism is continuing to die off.

"How An Atheist Found God"
http://www.everystudent.com/wires/atheist.html

They weren't aimed at converting people to atheism - they were about getting people who don't believe in god to recognise that there are loads of people just like them and that it's absolutely fine. And also to get religious people to recognise that a significant minority in the UK (far more than all active religious participants combined) don't believe in god.

The reason being that our media and major institutions totally ignore the fact that most people in the UK aren't religious and that about 20% (maybe more are atheist). All you hear is pandering to different faith groups as if the whole population is part of one faith group or another.

The non religious really are the silent majority.

[floo]

What do you mean by a 'good person', Floo?  It is such a bland phrase as to make it just about meaningless.  Remember that the Pharisees regarded themselves as 'good people' and Jesus was probably more critical of them than of anyone else.
Whilst I would agree with the first part of this, Floo - there are pretty nasty people the world over, regardless of their religious standpoint.  However, I would also point out that the reason we tend to regard them as nasty is precisely because they haven't used the Biblical deity as a role model!

By good I mean someone who does their best to help others as well as themselves as they go through life. That is far more important than whether they have a faith or not, imo.

[Owlswing]

True believers do not Persuade, coax or cajole.

Then why has there been a group out in Hounslow High Street yelling their message of redemption and entrance to heaven by confession and forgiveness of sin to anyone who is stupid enough to walk anywhere near them?

[Ricky Spanish]

Oh - I've heard about this ~Jesus~ bloke. Where is he now, and how do I make an appointment to have a chat with him?

[floo]

Oh - I've heard about this ~Jesus~ bloke. Where is he now, and how do I make an appointment to have a chat with him?

You'll be lucky the guy is permanently off line!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

You'll be lucky the guy is permanently off line!

He isn't but there are doubts as to how far you've been online Floo

[floo]

He isn't but there are doubts as to how far you've been online Floo

And you can prove Jesus actually resurrected can you?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

And you can prove Jesus actually resurrected can you?

Only have the evidence, Floo of the Gospels and the Epistles, Floo and the testimony of the risen Christ in Christians and my own experience......Take it or leave it.

[Shaker]

Only have the evidence, Floo of the Gospels and the Epistles, Floo and the testimony of the risen Christ in Christians and my own experience......Take it or leave it.

That's a no, then.

[floo]

Only have the evidence, Floo of the Gospels and the Epistles, Floo and the testimony of the risen Christ in Christians and my own experience......Take it or leave it.

If you believe those tales are evidence you are truly gullible!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

That's a no, then.

......Then there is the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the psychological avoidance of God argument, argument from felt need......and all the other arguments that antitheists claim have failed logically but that actually means they have only been established as not without counter argument. 

[floo]

......Then there is the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument, the psychological avoidance of God argument, argument from felt need......and all the other arguments that antitheists claim have failed logically but that actually means they have only been established as not without counter argument.

Gullible and then some!

[Shaker]

......Then there is the cosmological argument, the teleological argument, the moral argument

... all of which were put out for the bin men long, long ago, though it's no surprise to me that you haven't heard yet.

the psychological avoidance of God argument

... which doesn't even exist except in what you like to think of as your mind ...

argument from felt need

That's an argument, is it? 

......and all the other arguments that antitheists claim have failed logically but that actually means they have only been established as not without counter argument.

Also known as "bald assertions unsubstantiated by the merest scrap of proof."