Atheist Nexus

The World’s Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

My sister is in the process of un-converting from Christianity. Last time I checked, she is at the point where she doesn't know what to believe, but thinks that Xianity doesn't make sense. What should I do to help nudge her over the edge into the light of atheism?

Views: 0

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Sam Harris Letter to a Christian Nation for a festive season present. Short, sharp, to the point and may make her hunger for more. You can read it in a couple of hours.
Dawkins The God Delusion is a good read.
Yeah, but its big. Sam's letter is small and not intimidating.
Actually, I think I just so happen to have LtaCN checked out of the library!
Ask her to read the books, but I find that personal interaction and reinforcement is crucial.

I'd try to separate the ramblings of itinerant bronze-age goat herders from reality. It opens up a million questions, did the Jews have morality before the Ten Commandments (because we atheists are an amoral lot, since we don't worry about eternal punishment) Have at the bible - it's a gold mine of hypocrisy and vice!

Some people are troubled by atheist's reliance on science ("replacing one religion with another") - so see if she gets the "God of the Gaps" idea. If not, skip it. Atheists don't have to have the answers, we don't have to be expert scientists or Darwin incarnate, we are just eliminating one more mythological fiction. We have to be open to not knowing and not expecting answers to come from imaginative goat herders. Not that there's anything wrong with goat herders.

I find a lot of quasi-religious people believe "there must be something." This can be really difficult to address, because the person's anxiety about life opens the door to all sorts of pseudo-spiritualism and nutty stuff that tries to fill an assumed spiritual void. In my experience it is a very real social void that needs to be addressed, and that's out of atheism's domain.

Good luck,



Gregg

RSS

Support Nexus

Click to Buy Amazon items and help A|N

Advertisements

Heathen's Guide

Skeptic Money

Sex and God

Humanistic Judaism

Your Ad Here

Helpful Items

 

Search Atheist Nexus:
Translate page:

 

Social Networking Links:
 

Latest Activity

sk8eycat replied to sk8eycat's discussion Feline Fiction (Detective Novels, and Other Genres) in the group Atheist Ailurophiles
16 minutes ago
Michael Black replied to Devin's discussion How to explain to Roman Catholic father that I wasn't being rude when I took down the religious pics etc
1 hour ago
Steph S. commented on James Yount's photo
2 hours ago
Steph S. commented on Agent Chaos's group Ceiling Cat Vs. Basement Cat
2 hours ago
Steph S. commented on Agent Chaos's group Ceiling Cat Vs. Basement Cat
2 hours ago
Steph S. commented on Little Name Atheist's group Atheist Ailurophiles
2 hours ago
Steph S. commented on Little Name Atheist's group Atheist Ailurophiles
2 hours ago
Steph S. commented on Ruth Anthony-Gardner's group Hang With Friends
2 hours ago
Steph S. commented on Ruth Anthony-Gardner's group Hang With Friends
2 hours ago
Stuart Jeremy Oxley replied to Michael A's discussion Isn't religion psychologically unhealthy?
2 hours ago
Joan Denoo commented on Sentient Biped's group Godless in the garden
2 hours ago
damian replied to Devin's discussion How to explain to Roman Catholic father that I wasn't being rude when I took down the religious pics etc
3 hours ago
Dallas Gaytheist replied to Loren Miller's discussion Charles L. Worley, North Carolina Pastor: Put Gays And Lesbians In Electrified Pen To Kill Them Off in the group Gay Atheists: LGBTQI nontheists and friends
3 hours ago
Dallas Gaytheist replied to Loren Miller's discussion Charles L. Worley, North Carolina Pastor: Put Gays And Lesbians In Electrified Pen To Kill Them Off in the group Gay Atheists: LGBTQI nontheists and friends
3 hours ago
Dallas Gaytheist commented on Sentient Biped's group Godless in the garden
3 hours ago
Tyler Holmstrom replied to Carrot Hare's discussion Atheists around the world! ASSEMBLE!
3 hours ago
Sentient Biped commented on Sentient Biped's group Godless in the garden
3 hours ago
Sentient Biped commented on Claire Donnelly's group Gay Atheists: LGBTQI nontheists and friends
3 hours ago
Joan Denoo replied to Loren Miller's discussion Charles L. Worley, North Carolina Pastor: Put Gays And Lesbians In Electrified Pen To Kill Them Off in the group Gay Atheists: LGBTQI nontheists and friends
3 hours ago
Joan Denoo commented on Sentient Biped's group Godless in the garden
4 hours ago

© 2012   Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: Brother Richard.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service