for me thre is absolutely nothing to debate - if someone asks me my thoughts about religion I will tell them but If they go on to try to debate I will move away - Some people really do try to sucker you in and havethis neediness to talk about it . I don't - its of no importance to me whatsoever and I would resent giving time to stuff like debating then finer details of meanings of words.

If people feel the need to be right for them to sleep at night, I try not to stand in their way. It says more about them than it does about me anyway.

Two guys who sat near me in my office would "discuss" religion on a near daily basis. One was a well educated atheist who had studied religions most of his life, and the other a sheep following christian who couldn't debate his way out of a paper bag. The christian, when he first came to our office, said that he would have me and the other atheist converted in no time. So every time he opened his mouth, the educated atheist would have some sort of educated rebuttal that would just infuriate the christian so bad I would be surprised if he didn't end up on blood pressure pills. He was with us for 2 years and neither of us budged. Was always so entertaining to listen to them go at it.

I was raised by nonbelievers so as far as this issue goes, I got nothin' to debate, nothing to argue, nothing to discuss, nothing to prove, nothing to be gained. I'm live and let live on this one...whatever gets you through the night.

BUT, I love to debate and discuss plenty of other things. Nice post, MeMe. Hope you do what feels natural.

I think as a skeptic, I'm likely to debate almost anything. People get annoyed when you try to get them to stick to facts in a debate.

Hopefully, It's a sign to leave me the hell alone. I am an AGNOSTIC, don't have to explain it or convince anyone who isnt, that I am right or wrong...because I just don't care.

That's the joy of it!!!!

I don't feel the need to debate actual religion. When people are religious when they get into an argument, to them it is an argument, they close their mind. What I try to do is change minds on certain points. They can keep their opiate of choice but be a little less of a prick about it. The one I get into the most is religious indoctrination in schools. I've actually changed people's minds about that. I'm polite and don't bring their religion into it. Religious people tend to respond if they don't feel attacked.

atheism not being a religion, it hasn't got any rules. it's just a descriptive definition of a state of not believing in any gods, or in believing there are no gods. atheists sometimes find themselves in a position to make a quick choice whether or not to debate. that's not a rule. that's circumstance. if i am not in the mood for a long conversation, the tooth fairy is a convenient reference. i generally mention that she still owes me a quarter. i don't always go into enough detail to add that with inflation and interest to consider, she owes me an awful lot more now.

g

The only way to be afraid of death is too believe that you are still there after it happens, Now that sounds a little off the definition of death. How can someone believe after they die they may get scared. You are not Fukkkkkkkkkkking there . You truly are not.

No need to debate , Nothing really to debate, Do you believe in Santa, elf, etc. If so you need to grow up. Then with the god stuff, the oddness comes to play, the more you believe in god and religion, the more arrested is your development mentally, You cease to learn with open mind. You cease to question, You begin to not like others, you begin to become tribal, you begin to believe you are the only way and the rest of the world is shit. You fall victim to a death by severe ignorance, Wicked way to go

some people seem to get off on it as a sort of pastime - I couldnt care less about an absence of soemthing in my life that was never there and I really don't get all the debates about the names used for 'not' being something it feels like picking oakum.

You do not have to answer to anyone or anybeing. The requirement to debate is a personal choice.

I am not what I would call a debater, but do defend my position, vehemently when I feel it's necessary.

Religion comes down to one thing. Faith. You have it or you don't. I used to debate, but then one day a theist said to me, "Can't you just have faith?" No. I can't. I don't have faith. Just like I don't have brown eyes. I could fake having faith. But if I did that and it fooled which ever "god", then isn't that "god" unworthy of worship? And then there's, if I fake faith and end up in Hell over it, was I faking to appease "god" or people?

It's not necessary to be proficient at debate, but it helps.

I guess its something one cannot avoid. Because true wisdom comes from the conclusion that one knows nothing, and thus there will always be something to discuss and new arguments to bring on the table.

When I was younger I questioned creationism. Now, I just try to find common ground and leave the scriptures out of it.

I hoped atheist means you don't have get involved. Having said that, I will get into it when I hear a creationist harp that over evolution.