tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post8550076200405376143..comments2023-10-30T03:58:20.807-04:00Comments on Small Town Skepticism: God belief is stupid: Confrontation works!sarniaskeptichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02183125250166884307noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-22148468328436639632010-11-15T13:31:24.752-05:002010-11-15T13:31:24.752-05:00Nathan,
Surely you don't believe I have sugges...Nathan,<br />Surely you don't believe I have suggested to people that they need to be confrontational all the time - I haven't done that (yet).<br /><br />I would argue (as I quickly did in this blog entry) that claims that confrontation NEVER works are false. <br /><br />However, when it comes to family, I think it is equally (or more) important that they be aware that people might (do) think they're crazy. I love and respect my family enough to help save them from future embarrassment.<br /><br />If the need to confront them appears because of some superbly wild "belief", I would suggest that it is possible that you've simply waited too long. People don't become fervent supporters of woo-woo overnight. <br /><br />I came to value skepticism as a result of someone close to me saying "Ummm, you realize that what you're suggesting is silly and has been disproven" (paraphrased - they weren't quite that nice). If they hadn't done that, I could have continued down a path to a point where someone would have had to say "You're talking about some pretty crazy shit and need help."<br /><br />Your family deserves your input - and it doesn't need to be confrontational in the sense of simply stirring negative emotions. It could be as simple as "Really? What makes you believe that?" or "Well, as I understand it..." or "I'm trying to rationalize that myself, I just can't understand why this occurs or how to account for this."sarniaskeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02183125250166884307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-78700777104003489802010-11-12T13:11:18.413-05:002010-11-12T13:11:18.413-05:00Reality in Sarnia, its impossible to investigate &...Reality in Sarnia, its impossible to investigate 'the other side' when none of them will meet with me. Again, coffee? Name the time and place.<br /><br />I say the same to you, you have yet to make one valid argument in all your comments toward me. Your arguments are insults and broad brush stroke assumptions about your dislike for what you assume is logical. Have you actually engaged in a positive argument with someone that you disagreed with? Or do you just lump them into the same category as "irrational" because you can't understand them.NathanColquhounhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14813551262937303118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-87942744856816412532010-11-12T00:11:42.978-05:002010-11-12T00:11:42.978-05:00So Nathan, when are you going to through away your...So Nathan, when are you going to through away your irrational beliefs? Have you ever investigated the other side? Those who have usually become one of us and become very vocal against religion. There must be a reason that those priests/ministers/pastors that lose their faith after discovering reality become soooooo vocal against religion.RealityinSarniahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11114644616793206954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-38767773509212607222010-11-11T22:36:49.533-05:002010-11-11T22:36:49.533-05:00Nathan, I agree, it's usually better to be non...Nathan, I agree, it's usually better to be non-confrontational with family members. I've learned to be more reserved at family gatherings, but am always ready, and eager, to jump in if religion (or any other "irrational belief") comes up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726306875167162020.post-65642938292779171712010-11-11T20:19:52.578-05:002010-11-11T20:19:52.578-05:00I think for the most part you have done a good job...I think for the most part you have done a good job at confronting people on illogical and harmful belief systems. I am learning, as I confront many people as well, that in many cases relationships are more important than me letting them know they are out of their f*cking mind. For instance, with family. <br /><br />So I'd add to your post a bit by saying that sometimes respect is just smiling and saying that's nice when you want to keep the relationship in tact and recognizing that their is an entire story and set of circumstances that brought that person to believe that crazy thing and that by telling them that they are out of their mind can do more harm than good because it only attacks a belief which is very personally tied to an individual and not an entire system that causes people to have those beliefs in the first place.NathanColquhounhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14813551262937303118noreply@blogger.com