4 Mistakes Theists Make When Trying to Convert Atheists

How can you make an atheist believe in god? Can you convert an atheist? Well, if you make the mistakes which I discuss here, you won't have much success. If someone sent you this video, please take this as a gentle reminder to listen to the atheists with whom you speak before making assumptions. We'd all get along better in a world where more people listen to each other.

A lot of people have tried to convert me. Popular arguments I receive are Pascal's wager, the kalam cosmological argument, the moral argument, the teleological argument, the case for the resurrection of Jesus, arguments from personal experience, arguments from miracles, and a LOT of threats. Rarely does anyone listen to me before trying to convert me. If they did, our conversation would actually be meaningful rather than a waste of time. You're not going to convince me to go from atheist to Christian (or any other faith) if you don't know why I went from Christian to atheist. That's my best advice to someone who wants to know how to convert an atheist.

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This video contains 100% therapeutic grade skepticism.*

*This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA

[mgnwill]

People typically confuse “ You’re not listening to me” with “You’re not agreeing with me”.

[caroljo]

I had a friend who was a devoted Christian. When I told her I'm an atheist, she bombarded me with Christian messages, and when I asked her to stop, she told me she was determined to convert me. She called me her project.

I haven't spoken to her since.

[inf]

As an atheist, one of the most frustrating things christians lead with is "but the bible tells us that...". Somehow they can't get around the idea that some people don't see the bible as an authority.

[Bravo-Tango-]

When I went to church with my family as a kid, I thought we were just respecting the culture and our ancestors beliefs, not that it was something adult people believed in.

[Erichwanh]

"Do you believe Batman exists?"
"No"
"That means you worship The Joker!"
"... that's not how this works. That's not how any of this works."

[njcodemuskane]

Doing manual labor at customer's houses I often get the old "you are so nice you must be Christian" ... apparently you can't be nice if you aren't Christian.

[bradholcomb]

“People say they love truth, but in reality they want to believe that which they love is true.”
—Robert J. Ringer

[slode]

I love the "deep down you believe" argument. Heard it a few times. I just respond with "What if deep down you don't believe in God, and you're just denying it" That one makes them actually think.

[chaoticsilver]

"To change someone's mind... you first have to listen."

Very well said.

[carolynr]

I had a friend who constantly tried to convert me. She told me I was never a true Christian despite me not having ever told her anything about my past experience as one, and kept insisting that I pray. The last straw was when I was hospitalized, and I was talking to her on the phone afterwards and instead of asking how I was doing or anything, she started really aggressively saying stuff like, “It’s a fact that God is real and he is your father! Something can’t start from nothing blah blah and you’d be better if you believed in him.” I didn’t even try to argue because I knew she’d claim I was ‘attacking her god’ despite her being the one always bringing religion up, so I calmly asked her how any of that was relevant to the situation. She couldn’t answer the question and kept on with the same fallacious tactics. I haven’t spoken to her since.

[Keizor]

These aren't just mistakes that people make when trying to "convert" someone. Those are all mistakes that people make simply communicating with each other.

[johncharpie]

I spent 14 years in fundamentalist Christian communities as a born-again person. I love this video for its clarity and empathic understanding of compassionate interaction. So often, evangelism becomes ego-vangelism, and the dialogue degenerates into posturing, oneupmanship, and "gotcha" moments rather than sincere active listening. Well done, Drew.

[GauravGRocks]

"It’s a strange myth that atheists have nothing to live for. It’s the opposite. We have nothing to die for. We have everything to live for." ~ Ricky Gervais

[tayetrotman]

I’m an atheist, I wasn’t raised with any belief. However, when I’ve been in Churches, with the music and the hymns and everything, I’ve felt an energy in the room, a compulsion to join in, to be a part of something larger.

Perhaps some theists would consider that a spiritual experience, but if you ask me it’s just natural human behaviour

[fptr]

I was born into an atheistic irreligious family, why does every single Christian expect me to have been previously Christian and had a bad experience?

[JustWastedHoursHere]

Usually my stance on belief never comes up in conversation, but when it does I usually get around to asking the religious person, "Do you think you would have the same beliefs that you have now if you had been born somewhere else in the world, raised by different parents with a different belief?" After the short circuit happens, that usually ends the conversation.

[giulialana]

Me:”I’m an atheist”
Religious relative:”but you were baptized and confirmed, how can you be an atheist?”
I was baptized as a baby and confirmed at 12, who doesn’t change their mind from when they were a literal child?

[marypatton]

Would you be afraid if a Muslim told you that you were going to hell because you weren't Muslim and didn't believe in Allah?

No? Why not?

Because I don't believe that.

Right. So when Christians tell me I am going to hell, I am not worried because I don't believe that any more than you believe in Allah.

[TheGoaterGoat]

when i told my old christian friend i’m atheist
he looked me in the eye and said at least ik the truth i looked back at him and said your truth he walked away mad

when i told my other christian friends this they just said i understand and as long as your happy that’s all that matters

and they still talk with me

[joysgirl]

My family of 4 used to be Christians, then my two sons broke away, becoming Athiests. We had many calm and interesting discussions, lots of questions, no emotions. We are now a family of 4 Athiests. It was like someone cleared the fog.