How do you deal with talking to religious folk who are literally delusional?

Had to block a guy on Facebook who randomly messaged me, sparking a joke of a debate. He ignored pretty much all my posts, and was delusional. In short, when you get stressed after dealing with someone who shakes your hope in humanity, when the only thing you have that is close to faith is the belief that most people aren't like this guy, you know, apparently Schizophrenic, how do you cool off, or shake it off? Seems pretty hard, when you just can't ignore it.

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Permalink Reply by Louis on November 26, 2010 at 6:20pm
The first thing to understand is that in that situation the other party doesn't want to debate or argue. They want to talk at you until you agree.

There's no reason in getting stressed as the other party was never in a position to be willing to change.
Permalink Reply by Abnormal on November 26, 2010 at 6:26pm
I usually don't get too upset by asshole on the internet. There's a lot of talking assholes on the internet.
Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on November 26, 2010 at 7:07pm
It is impossible to debate a person who will not handicap himself with a knowledge of the facts.
-- Anon

Not having the facts is bad enough. Being delusional is completely out of bounds. I'd say don't waste your time.
Permalink Reply by Dustin Martin on November 26, 2010 at 7:56pm
If the stupid really gets your goat, you're not really living in the best of times, nor is the internet safe from stupid, quite the opposite. Comedy is a good distraction to cool off with.
Also, don't forget that there are allot of internet trolls whose sole purpose in life is to push other people's buttons, and waste your time. If they know you're an Atheist, then they know you despise the stupid and irrational, and will adopt that mindset just for you. :)
Permalink Reply by Devilsnight on November 26, 2010 at 8:25pm
Just completely own his ass, humiliate him.
But only if he keeps ignoring all of your posts, make sure that he is being intellectually dishonest.

It's good training in debating because not all debates will go off nice and clean, as you've experienced. Sometimes you will have to learn a few tricks. Sometimes you have to bend the rules of debating, especially when debating his kind. Play his game, and with your intellect you are surely able to overcome his attempt at 'winning'. That is all he cares for really, to be correct and get your goat, even if he won't admit it. Keep pushing it until he is the one who would rather leave - and then humiliate him some more until he just ignores you.
Keep pointing out logical fallacies for example and hammer him for it. A guy like him is prone to make them continuesly. But also make sure that you wont dismiss his arguements for it, for that would make you do a logical fallacy yourself and you dont want to look like a hypocrite.
It's important that you get on his nerves. He must feel that he is suffering more than he is prospering.

You might have to play a game you dont want to but it would pay off in the end.
That is at least how I deal with people like that. It's mentally stressing while it lasts but you will feel better afterwards and you might learn a thing or two.
But if you prefer not to play his game then just leave really. No one will care or notice. He might feel as if he has won but he is just 1 guy. You might boost his self-esteem but that just makes him fall down harder when he faces someone smarter who also likes to play his game.
Permalink Reply by Devilsnight on November 26, 2010 at 8:44pm
I disagree. You can beat them. When you meet these kind of people usually you have the higher intellectual ground and if you know their game then you can outdo them. They play their game because they enjoy messing with you. All you've got to do is mess with them even more but in an intellectual way - look like the wiser person (although the wiser person would just leave of course). When they start to hate the debate they will slowly try to leave.
I've dealt with many of these types too and I gotta say I feel emotionaly relieved afterwards because I know I stopped their attempt and reverted the effect back to them.

Act according to their mood.
Like when they start getting all angry and throw around insults; be civil, point out why their insults doesn't hold true and ask why they get so upset. Act as if you're not affected by his attempt at redicule at all.
Or when they ignore stuff in your posts; keep pointing it out, maybe type it seveal times, reference back to it. They are avoiding the content because they cannot respond to it. Make them respond, it will start to aggrovate them.
Stuff like that.
Permalink Reply by Devilsnight on November 26, 2010 at 9:20pm
Im still young - although at the age of 22 I start to feel older ^^ But that is mostly because my teenage years are gone and will never come back.

I did also try in the beginning to 'show the light' to religious people when they threw out arguements they thought worked in their favor. Now im just playing the devils advocate and wreck havoc to their arguements - it's healthy for them to reconsider their thoughts.

Actually, there is seveal areas that you can prosper from from outwitting idiots on the internet; relieving stress that has been built up during the day, getting to know the tricks of debating, presenting your ideas because we all seem to feel a need to be heard, maybe getting a friend out of it (it has happened), etc. These guys are at first glanze a problem but you can revert the situation to your advantage, manipulate their attempts for your needs.

Yes, deconverting religious people dont work out in a single conversation. But sometimes there are religious people that after a long time of experiencing arguements will start to reconsider their beliefs. It's a fact that many atheists once were religious and your conversations could have contributed to it.
Permalink Reply by Brian Chimhepo on December 19, 2010 at 4:08am
I find arguing with Agnostics more interesting that most theists,it's so painful especially when they keep referring me to the bible.
Permalink Reply by Brian Chimhepo on December 4, 2010 at 2:29pm
You can not reason someone out of a position they did not reason themselves into
Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on December 22, 2010 at 3:27pm

schizo. many times. there's always those that do not want to get fired or 'let go'

tables have turned sicen atheists networked through blogs like this

Permalink Reply by Steve on December 25, 2010 at 9:00pm

Block them early on before they have a chance to upset you.  As soon as you realize you've got a live one on your hands, figure out something to say that will stick in his mind for awhile, which will depend on the situation, and say it.  Then block him and forget him.  At least he isn't someone you have to deal with in the real world.

Permalink Reply by The Snide Atheist on January 4, 2011 at 3:25pm
I make fun of them in a way they probably won't even understand.  Then again, this is pretty much how I deal with everyone.

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