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How do you deal with staunch, convinced theists that will not even listen to logic and reason. I invited my Catholic cousin over to listen to some debates that I have heard on TV between theists and atheists and she refused the invitation. She said she wouldn't listen to anyone talk badly about God and that her beliefs were not debatable. how do you handle people like this other than just severing relationship?

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I have similar dynamics in my family, people that I wished to be a part of their life! But, some of them are so conditioned to reject new information, they refuse to even share my company! When you 'waste' a great number of years, trying to prove (by example) that you are not some evil entity, so they will 'share' with you...you throw in the towel and teach/share with yourself...what you believe that it takes to be a decent human being! Free at last! Free at last! Is my assessment! You might read, 'The Authoritarians' by Bob Altemeyer...(and maybe you already know of this work) sometimes we must face our limitations, even in the such of 'sharing' and love!

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I don't ever try to convert anyone. I may talk about my beliefs, but, each person is on their own path. I have needed to travel the paths I have been on I think, and so do they.

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Someone who has a worldview different from mine is no threat to me. I look for things we have in common instead, and try to grow the relationship rather than shut it down.

skado Level 9 Jan 21, 2018
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I ask them a simple question which tells me whether they could be saved or not.
"If you woke up tomorrow with irrefutable proof that no god exists, How would it change your day?"
If they say that they would rob a store and rape or kill a bunch of people then they are beyond hope.

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Cognitive dissonance is uncomfortable. Theists don't really have a leg to stand on when debating someone armed with facts. It's kind of pointless unless the person is somewhat open minded and rational, but even then there's usually a point where the cognitive dissonance becomes too much and they end up shutting down the conversation. I recall how it feels to hear something that makes perfect sense but calls into question things that you had believed were true your whole life. It's stressful, depressing, and kind of makes you feel like you're going mad. Feel free to invite religious folk to debate you, but if they decline be respectful. There are plenty of other things to talk about.

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It's a goal of most to be as true as we can. True being the closest thing to reality we can aim for. If you are person/theist who is not interested in truth, then there is little we could do for such a person. It is why we have hospitals with padded walls. To some, their personal reality resembles something other than truth. PS. I am Batman. Don't sweat the batsh_t crazies. You can't save everybody.

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let them be.

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