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How do you debate the criminally insane and still retain your sanity?

This newest arguement FOR separation of church and state has me dumbfounded. This statement was made as part of an ongoing debate in SC over the "I Belive" Licence plates.
Forced religion: a resident of Roebuck, responding to an assertion that the “I Believe” license plate advocates a particular religion, says this assertation" is plenty wet. “Christianity is not a religion,” declares "this resident". “Religion is man’s attempt to worship gods, or himself, through idols or man-made philosophy or rites. Christianity is God’s revelation of himself through Jesus Christ. It is simply loving, forgiving, regenerating truth — not religion. It appears that many now worship man-made governments and constitutions and would use the power of the state to force that religion on all.”

I am aware that most in the south will see that as a novel arguement in this ongoing debate. I also am convinced that most who read it will not bother to even look for the definitions of Chrisianity or Religion. They will take up this arguement and run with it This is where the dumbfoundedness began to take a hold...This simple statement that Christianity is not a religion, if adopted by our elected officials would remove any restrictions hampering their efforts to adopt an official national religion. Christianity is not a religion and therefore can become national policy.
Back to the original question, How do I debate a fence post, and survive the encounter? I have actually started learning what is in the bible. Most christians have no Idea what they are claiming to be god's word or, when and where they learned to recite it. I guess I am looking for the atheist's guide to "Surviving Random Encounters With The Braindead" Seriously now, some of you have attempted to rationalize with this geographically diverse segment of our society, and lived to tell about it. These survival tips would be greatly appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Stump Parrish on December 20, 2009 at 7:46pm

Sorry about this ending up in the ontroductions area. I missed that option, this time.

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Permalink Reply by Bitsy Haywood on December 20, 2009 at 10:04pm

There are a lot of ways to describe the contents of a bowel movement, but just because someone says something in a convoluted and well-parsed way doesn't mean he's talking sense. You can get extremely poetic about something and still be spouting total bullshit.

If they let people get away with it, and the license tags are legally available, get yourself one of the "I believe" license plates and augment it with a nearly contiguous bumper sticker that says "I believe that religion is all bullshit!" In fact, plaster your car's rear end with athiestic bumper stickers, spaghetti monsters and darwinfish.

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Permalink Reply by Brian on December 20, 2009 at 11:36pm

I'll be honest, my advice would be don't even bother. There's nothing you could possibly say that would bring them so their senses. I have two reasons for saying this. One is in my time debating fundies, I've found that debates tend to end up being dead horses beaten to a bloody pulp and both parties leaving a little pissed off with absolutely nothing resolved. My other reason is that knowing the mindset of a fundamentalist christian, having once been one myself, nothing anyone could have said to me would have convinced me that I was wrong, I had to realize it for myself in my own way. Rationality does not work on people who are not rational.

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Permalink Reply by The Nerd on December 21, 2009 at 11:36am

Um... don't do it?

If you come up with any other solution, I'd love to be the first to know!

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Permalink Reply by Johnsky on December 21, 2009 at 11:59am

Man from X religion claims his religion is better than Y religion because X religion isn't a religion... and that X religion should therefore be mandatory because X religion is all about love for X religion and hate for Y religion.

Where have I heard this argument before?

... oh that's right... from Y religion.