What would it take for you to change your beliefs in a radical way? What would it take for you to stop believing in god? Literally, what would it take? How about for you to start believing?
I spend a lot of time thinking and processing different aspects of philosophy and metaphysics (if there is such a thing). I watch debates online, and on television. Hours and hours of debates. I read books on the topics by various authors. I immerse myself in Ontological discourse and debates often. And yet…
I see something missing.
Its extremely rare to witness anyone disclosing what it would take to sway them.
Think about it. You're debating someone on a hot topic that you are well read on and passionate about. You can wield the
Samurai katana of your intellect against the toughest logic. Yet most debates and discussions end in an
extremely distasteful, if almost violent, divergence of sides. People attend these kinds of debates in order to cheer on a champion fighter who they wish to see smash the other side. I used to practically bring beer and popcorn to the ‘
Atheist vs.
Christian’ debates at my undergraduate university. I wish they sold big foam hands for each side, and every time I went I would fight the impossible urge to start a wave through the crowd. People just want to see blood. Sometimes this happens… most times it doesn’t. People usually walk away from these discussions and debates solidified in their position.
Nothing constructive is accomplished.So much of this is oriented towards a type of combat. Combat is rarely, if ever, constructive.
Even though people dont say this enough, Ive seen some popular Atheist proponents disclosing this info. Dawkins, Harris, Dennet, Hitchens… it would take a demonstration of kinds:
- The appearance of a deity
directly to humanity as a whole
- Something miraculous (that wouldn't normally happen anyways). Like instead of a person getting well from an illness, how about an amputee grows their leg back??? See this website:
http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/My point being that people debating this topic do not address this enough, even if they do address ti at all.
Yet I haven’t seen a person of ‘faith’ disclose what it would take for them to let go of their beliefs. Actually Ive seen professions of the complete opposite.
“There is absolutely nothing you or anyone can say or do to change what I know in my heart to be true. The god of the (insert holy-book here) exists!”
When this is the case, its not a debate... its a one-way-only heated discussion.
I think that we would make progress if we began discussions with two elements in place. This works for both sides (people who believe in a god, and people who have no belief in a god).
1- Non-violent communication with an attitude of curiosity about the other side.
2- Begin with the question, “What would it take, literally, for you to change your current beliefs?
When you approach these kinds of debates and conversations in this way, you disarm the opponent before they can create a verbal defense, and you begin by exploring the places in their mental model of reality where they designate that change can be made.
In essence, you have your ‘opponent’ do the difficult work for you and avoid many, many
bickering contests.
So… the one question for both sides:
If you believe in a god, what would it take, literally, for you to
change your beliefs?If you do not believe in a god, what would it take for you to
change your beliefs?
