How many of you deconverted?

[theory816]

I remember when I went to the dark side I tried deconverting everyone that was close to me, which was several people. 0 sucess rate. Ive stopped trying to do that because I know how hard it was for me to break free of the indoctrination. But yea, whats your guys success rate?

[SGOS]

I think zero, but you can never know this for sure.  People don't become atheists right before your eyes.  It took me years and years to make the transition from claiming the existence of a god to realizing I didn't believe in one.

No single person I've talked to would have seen me make this transformation, but collectively many of them contributed something to the transition in a small way.  And many devout fundamentalists contributed even more to my transition than atheist or agnostic friends.  Just watching fundamentalists wallow in fallacies and illogical thought processes had a major effect on me.

In addition, most discussions on the issue that I've had in the past with all kinds of people were not debate type discussions.  They were more on the order of, "Do you think there is a god?"; "Hell, I don't know.  If there is, why is he so violent?"; "He works in mysterious ways, I guess,"... just non heated discussions where seekers, some like myself, contemplated the existence issue.

There was just one guy, at the end of my decades of thought on the subject, that actually helped me to at last flip the switch in a dramatic way.  I had announced myself as an agnostic, but he kept insistently a asking, "Yeah, but do you believe there is a god."  I did not understand the question, and kept responding with, "I don't know if there is a god."  After giving this some extra thought, I realized he wasn't asking me what I knew, but rather what I believed.  Whamo!  It hit like a ton of bricks.  But the odd thing is, this one influential person probably never realized what a personal impact he had on me, even while he was standing right there at the time.

You may feel like your brother [or whoever] is a brick wall, but he's probably processing some of what you say.  Or not.  You may never know.  Two people with the same knowledge and information will often come to different conclusions.  The use of formal logic is not mankind's default state.  For most people, something is logical just because they believe it, not because they make mathematical like deductions.

[Solitary]

I only did it once when I was younger to a young Pastor. No luck since then though. Solitary

[Satt]

I don't even bother. I believe what I believe and let other's do the same. If someone asks me about my beliefs, I will be honest with them, but I don't try to deconvert anyone.

[MrsSassyPants]

I normally try to leave the subject alone, but I must admit that sometimes I just want to shake people and wake them up to the bullshit these churches are selling.  Feels good to release religion chains.  

[GSOgymrat]

I've never been a believer and I have no desire to proselytize. I don't like when people do that to me and I'm not going to do it to others.

[mykcob4]

I remember when I went to the dark side I tried deconverting everyone that was close to me, which was several people. 0 sucess rate. Ive stopped trying to do that because I know how hard it was for me to break free of the indoctrination. But yea, whats your guys success rate?

Obviously the answer to the original question is ALL, becaue everyone is born without knowledge and has to learn everything. At a point in time each person comes to a realization...a choice. Do they accept what society has foisted upon them, or do they think for themselves? If they choose the later they face alienization and various forms of intimidation. If they choose what society forces them to believe then they have opted for ignorance and obedience.

[Mister Agenda]

If I really wanted to deconvert people, I would join the Westboro Baptist Church.

[Skaði]

I unintentionally "deconverted" my boyfriend. He used to be a really religious creationist and would argue with me when I disagreed with him on things. Over the course of a couple years(and with a shit ton of arguments) he got less and less religious and now calls himself a deist.

I don't make much attempt to change people's beliefs. Though I do call acquaintances out on their bullshit if I'm feeling particularly feisty.

[Eric1958]

Much like SGOS said, I wasn't deconverted by atheists, but rather because the beliefs of theists sounded more and more ridiculous.

A second question does raise it's ugly head though. In an alternate universe, where the facts are all the same, but everyone around me was a theist I would probably be a theist too. In this alternative universe the religious doctrine would be much more flexible and would embrace new scientific evidence instead of condemning new ideas saying "that can't be right, it's not in the bible".

The very absurdity of many of the ideas that conservative religionists hold does a much better job of pushing more open minded people away than atheistic ideas do to pull them in.

[LikelyToBreak]

I just remembered, while welcoming somebody, sorry I already forget their name, that I sort of deconverted a couple of guys when I left the church.  That was a long time ago.  Like 37 years ago.  When I left, one of the more devout (power faggot) tried to sway me back.  I explained the reasons I decided Christianity was not reasonable and therefore unbelievable.  A couple of guys with him got to thinking about it, and later left the church too.  

So, I kind of deconverted a couple.  Mostly though, I don't argue with holy rollers.  Just tell them I read their book and found it wanting for believably.  Then suggest that they read it cover to cover like I did.  Which is really hard to do, especially after you decide it is bullshit.  I never knew of anyone actually taking up my challenge.  They just go back to cherry picking verses which make them feel holy.

[Zeto]

I don't think I've actually deconverted anyone, though my brother and I had a big part of influencing my mom to deconvert.

[WitchSabrina]

If I really wanted to deconvert people, I would join the Westboro Baptist Church.

ROFLMAO   epic

[Atheon]

I deconverted two young ladies who were in the initial phases of becoming Christians. One had even been baptized. They were exchange students from Asia, going to school in the US. They assumed that all Americans were Christians and decided to become Christians themselves (perhaps from being evangelized, or feeling a need to fit in). I was friends with them, and under my influence they realized that becoming a Christian wasn't necessary to fit in, and they soon came to identify with my nonreligious view of the world and lifestyle not restricted by arbitrary, nonsensical religious or cultural rules. I also introduced them to other non-church-goers, so they saw that a non-religious life could be normal. Now they are both nonreligious; one says she's an atheist.

[WitchSabrina]

Do I get more points for deconverting more than once.............  or less points?

 :rollin:

(think that one through)