I always think of a Psychologist I knew well who said "If the Church has you by the age of six - they have you for life.". She was talking about the Roman Catholic Church and was probably aware of many more. Basically if you are taught magical thinking - you may never be ready to be disillusioned. I would caution any willing to debate that it can get very ugly - so pick your battles. I had a great friend in College who loved to debate with me (He was a Born Again Christian) I think he appreciated knowing how people outside his group thought? But it's usually no where near that civil.

We can plant seeds. It is sad but we will seldom see those seeds grow and bear fruit. My total freedom from superstition came from something I had heard 10 years before.

Haha. Love this question. I have one woman who keeps telling me the Bible is proof. I tell her it was written by man. Not a god. She gets upset and I drop it. You can’t win. Their entire faith is based on believing something that doesn’t exist. You just end up being the kid that told the other kids Santa doesn’t exist.

Most religious people I meet don’t go that deep that fast. There seems enough wiggle room to either avoid or engage them.. So it’s likely your choice. Are you in a safe environment to engage them, or at work, or a public area that others wouldn’t care to witness. I’ve encountered them with bullhorns and body placards at train stations begging for confrontation, but usually know better…

If you enjoy taking them on (verbally ), I think you’re doing us all a favor! As I’ve been doing it for a lotta years.. I’d like to think I’ve made a difference. If they’re not worth your time or energy, just grin sincerely while shaking your head sideways and move on

Well, good luck on presenting your words in a way that the average Christian will take to heart! I find it most difficult and finally, after many, many years, I now give little feedback that has never gone anywhere to begin with. It is hard to reason with an Idealogy that has no basis in reason. Slowly, but surely, I love them where they are...and 'pass on by!'

Best to walk away and not waste time and energy.

I find it disrespectful when others try to change my mind (without an explicit invitation to do so), so I don't do it to them--unless they've indicated that they're open to it.

Now, maybe you think that if someone starts in on the God stuff with you, they've just thrown down the debate gauntlet and opened themselves up for counter-arguments...and I'd forgive you for making that assumption. In my experience it seems that people are rarely (if ever) prepared to brace for a rhetorical backlash when they open such worm-cans--and usually react badly when I push back. If anything, I might say "Are you really sure you want to have this discussion now? Because I don't agree with you, and I'm prepared to state my case". Most likely I'll just shrug my way out of it, saying as little as possible. I find that people usually don't want to even discuss, let alone argue--they just want to pontificate.

Now, if you've tuned in carefully and are picking up signals that they are receptive to whatever you have to say, let 'er rip!

Stuff bothers me too but I've found that I get bothered worse when I speak up against it than when I just shut up and let them talk. YMMV.

@ForTheWin has a well thought-out position that is entirely opposite mine, discussed in another thread, and it's well worth a read.

When my step daughter was young her Fundamentalist grandmother would tell everyone to have a blessed day. At 12 Corey realized how much this phrase pissed people off (even Christians). After that when ever someone annoyed her she would smile and say "You have a blessed day." She even said it to me once, I wanted to ground her. But, you are right you will never change a persons mind by disagreeing with them. But you might try "Have a blessed day" after making your point. It will probably piss them off, but they can't argue.

It becomes a teaching moment. Most Christians don't know much about the bible. So I drop something like, "I just had a hard time with things like ' did Jesus say all sins are forgiven, or blasphemy is an unforgivable sin, it couldn't be both'". I am not attacking them or their religion. I am simply "sharing" my difficulties with understanding the scripture. Wash,Rinse, repeat.

I’m in the same boat. I know how you feel, but sometime you just have to walk away. I know that’s harder said than done. I have to avoid some people cause they’ll drive me stupid when trying to convert me to believing in something that’s not real.

They don't bother me. Of course I got a minister older sister but I keep her at a distance and I treat her with the respect of being the elder. She Has Hierarchy and My Respect.