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Converting Delusional People into Critical Thinkers?

So I was sitting here reading the "Atheist Camel Chronicles" and was thinking about everything he says in the book. One of the things striking me was that getting through to a delusional person is next to impossible. We all talk about it in one form or another. But really, how do you get through to someone who is delusional?

My wife is a prime example of someone who is delusional. Nothing that I say or do will ever change her mind. But maybe there is something I can say. Or, maybe there are things that I can say "over time" that may suede her mind into thinking critically.

The trick to *converting* delusional people is to get them to start thinking critically. But how do we do that? There must be a line of questions, or reason, that may tip someone into thinking critically without them knowing it.

It's had to of happened many times in the past, otherwise we wouldn't have people like Bart Erhman with us. The problem is that for people like Bart, it's taken a *long* time to let go of the delusion and come to reason. How do we compress that time for some (if not all) people?

Does anyone out there have success stories of converting someone of the faith back into reality? If so, how did you do it. Or, how do you think you did it? I need to start converting people now before it's too late!

Tags: conversion, critical, delusional, thinker

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Permalink Reply by Audiodef on June 10, 2010 at 9:48am

I have to say I would not attempt to convert anyone. You wouldn't want them wasting your time and energy trying to convert you, so give them the same token of respect (and save yourself your own time and energy for more worthwhile things in your own life). While we may not believe we owe anything to any form of higher being other than ourselves, the beauty of life is free will, good or bad. Even if someone tries to impose on you, you have the free will to defend yourself. So allowing others to have their own delusional thoughts of their own choosing, while sad from our point of view, is a good thing because we have the same right to choose what to think.