The best response is to walk away. Nothing you can say will get through to him.
Do not engage. You already know what's going to happen. He's not going to listen
to anything you say to him. I mean, unless you LIKE beating your head against a
brick wall.

I've had family stop talking to me over it I don't care, I'm grown I don't need anyone's approval. It sucks when grown people can't respect another person's right to believe what they want to. I don't need anyone in my life who doesn't respect me. I've read the bible I didn't have to read it twice it's retarded. Magic trees and talking snakes, magic mansions in the sky I just ain't buying it. Don't give up your values for someone else's approval. You're beliefs are every bit as valid as his. And your right to believe as you see fit too. Be true to yourself first your life is about you. Your opinion of yourself is the only opinion that matters.

He is just another lifelong indoctrinated, brainwashed person that you will not be able to discuss religion with and should not even try. Just excuse yourself and walk away.

What can anyone say to such a closed minded person. ... Part of it depends on your relationship, your ages, if he INSISTS on bringing it up. ( Are there ever ANY decent interactions?)

My mother never mentioned my "sinfulness", but plainly was disappointed in me. My alcoholic, abusive father occasionally brought up that he " was going to heaven," while I was not. My brother worries that he'll be in heaven while I'm burning in hell.

I grew thicker skin, attributed their stupidity to their provençal upbringing, am going on with my life. No more "discussing" issues with any closed minds. ... And with all of them, if it hadn't been religion, they'd have found another issue to rag on me with.

“I am going to politely change the subject to ...”
then launch into a story so that they can’t change the subject back and then ask an ally what they think.
If the religious person tries to change the subject back have ally say “we are talking about this now”
This prevents you being the one from having the confrontation.

Also
“Please excuse me from this conversation, I seem to have nothing to contribute.” Then get up and leave.

Perhaps your spouse can step up & remind f-i-l that everyone has a right to believe or not according to the US constitution & if f-i-l can't leave the topic of religion alone, your spouse will follow the biblical eddict of leaving father & mother & cleaving to his wife in more pleasant locations & limiting unpleasant contact with said f-i-l. Sometimes the best you can do is love unpleasant family members/ people from a distance.

"go up bald head"

I refuse to talk about religion to anyone who isn't going to listen and play nice - Complete waste of time! this isn't a relationship in my book - You have just said exactly where you stand and believe me you will never get sense out of someone who has a a position to hold on to ; if theres no give and take he's just playing cat and mouse with you, try talking about the weather its what us Brits do when people are being tedious

I'd ignore his religious ranting entirely and refuse to engage in any religious (or political, as there's quite a lot of crossover) discussion with him. If he asks why, I'd say simply that he's shown he cannot accept your views and for the sake of remaining civil and respectful, you'll no longer discuss these topics with him or in his presence.

Danielle0989: If you are taking the bait and are actively participating in the religious argument, you’ve just got to stop. Tell your father in-law, “Live, and let live,” and leave it at that.

However, if he continually instigates the religious arguments, even after you’ve explicitly told him you would prefer not to engage, then it’s time for you to get down n’ dirty. You will not get anywhere with this type of person by using logic. You must begin to fight fire with fire.

I would suggest acquiring and studying Rabbi Tovia Singer’s “Let’s Get Biblical” audio series which uses Hebrew scriptural references to refute fundamental Christian New Testament assertions such as the concept of vicarious attonement, trinitarianism, original sin, Jesus’ Messiahship, the true identity of the “suffering servant” in the Book of Isaiah, etc.

If you really study this audio series, you will leave him so disgusted, he will avoid you like the plague on religious issues from that point forward. If you get an interlinear bible and study some Biblical Hebrew, all the better. That will be doubly scary to him.

Trust me, this really works. Proselytizers will leave you the hell alone.

He seems like a lost cause, though you can just keep pelting him with logic if you want to persist with debate. You never know, it might get through. He can't put words in your mouth and state that you secretly believe in god because he isn't a mind reader. You just gotta lay out the facts about why you don't believe, or you can turn to tables on him and grill him on his belief to make him feel how you do. Point out all the factually incorrect and logically inconsistent parts of the bible. I mean all you can really do is stand firm on your positions and if you're feeling brave, mock his position. Be an asshole back and show how goofy and terrible his religion and god are, but him being family makes that a little more risky.

Really, when it comes to bible thumpers it's pretty much an unwinnable battle. Even if they know what they know to be false, they will keep wanting to play pretend because they're too invested and brainwashed already. They don't care about real honesty, they just care about being right and having their little club be the best club. So avoiding the subject and just shrugging off his dumb comments is the safest bet, sometimes it's not worth the effort for things to potentially sour down the road.

Well, it kind of depends on where you want to go with this. As someone with a fanatic Christian family I recommend shutting down the confrontation. It's just stressing you out and you'll never convince him you're confident in your beliefs by arguing. My go to is "I understand what you believe, I just don't agree. I'm not going to argue with you about it, so let's talk about something else." When they don't respect the boundary I exit the conversation. If you keep turning into a wall of Teflon they will get tired of throwing shit. Also, when you are the one consistently being mature and keeping your cool, they will learn to respect your boundaries. At least that's how I had to operate.

I've got no patience for these assholes. I'd probably tell him, "Yeah, you're right, there are some people I could kill without the least bit of remorse. Wanna keep running your mouth?" And then just give him a look that says its not a joke. But what works for me might not work for you.

It's the wrong ring for a fight, honestly you have to be the "better person" in this and avoid conflict. You both have a fixed position here....he wants a battle and not the kind where you shake hands in the end. Just speak with him about topics you agree on....It sucks but collateral damage will ensue if you engage. Ive even lost a girlfriend in my younger days due to conflict like this. You know what you believe and what you do not. Belief is never a choice....you may be right or wrong sometimes, but choice to believe is like trying to stop a thought....it doesnt work that way. Good luck though friend

He's actually read the whole bible and he still believes in it as the word of god? He's a moron.

So I'd try to politely tell him that I am unwilling to engage in the discussion and walk away. If he persisted, I'd tell him to go f*ck himself. I think the shock value of saying something he doesn't expect is a more effective way to stop the discussion cold rather than retreating or politely let him talk over you. But you have to gauge this yourself depending on who else is there and who is supporting you.

Where is your husband in this? Why doesn't he step in and stop his obnoxious father?

Tell him, the concept of gods was invented in the Stone Age. Stone Age man, unable in his ignorance to comprehend naturalistic explanations for the phenomena of the world around him, necessarily resorted to supernatural explanations. Such explanations similarly appeal to the child, who also is unable, in his ignorance, to understand naturalistic explanations. That is how primitive superstition is transmitted to the modern world, in the name of religion.

Then suggest that he reads Darwin's "On the Origin of Species..." It's still a good read, despite all the progress in the century and a half since.

Your only good option is to refuse to argue with him. If he starts in on the topic, walk away.

Respect his views as you would expect him to respect yours. He then becomes a hypocritical bore and will peter out of steam eventually. These people are vampires who suck your passion out of you. Show none of it and they just stop trying.

Silence is golden - sometimes you can say hey we don't want to do this old dance again do we? What is good that happened in your week - If he continues to throw barbs at you leave early - he probably needs the company and you might be able to negotiate your way through some no-go area propositions. Sound slike he's getting more out of digs at you than you are getting . He can always amuse himself re reading it for the 7463844800th time

Wow, thank you everyone!!! You've all been really helpful! It's hard to argue with stupid LOL.

When the subject arises, keep your silence with resiliency until he realizes you won't talk about it. Repeat until he yields to your persistence.

I have given up on debating folks about politics and religion. Nothing anyone can say will change anyone's mind

I would just refuse to discuss the topic any further. It sounds like doing so is futile.

Don't roll in the mud with the pigs. Each time he brings up religion, just repeat the same phrase, " I don't feel like talking about it now" Then change the subject. If he persists, walk away.