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Reddit mentions of 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God (50 series)

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Reddit mentions: 24

We found 24 Reddit mentions of 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God (50 series). Here are the top ones.

50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God (50 series)
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Found 24 comments on 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God (50 series):

u/redsledletters · 19 pointsr/TrueAtheism

The usual is Why I am no longer a Christian by Evid3nc3, but that's all youtube.



If you want to go old-school angry try out Testament: Memoir of the Thoughts and Sentiments of Jean Meslier (from the 1700s).

>
Know, then, my friends, that everything that is recited and practiced in the world for the cult and adoration of gods is nothing but errors, abuses, illusions, and impostures. All the laws and orders that are issued in the name and authority of God or the gods are really only human inventions…."



For a more general and softer approach, try out 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God.

***

If you need someone who was really a "true Christian" try perhaps something from Richard Price or listen to the podcasts of Matt Dillahunty.

u/Bilbo_Fraggins · 9 pointsr/DebateAnAtheist

> I don't disagree with it, but that's just the thing; the Bible is, as far as now, historically accurate in the things we have evidence for

Go spend a few weeks reading archeology and textual criticism, and then try to tell me that with a straight face again.

I recommend starting here. Then you will know enough about the state of the field to go hunt down primary sources from the past 10 years, and see how his thesis has become the mainstream consensus.

Then maybe read a book on the formation of some doctrine, like the doctrine of hell. Hell is a late development in Judaism, and was shamelessly stolen from surrounding cultures, just like most all the rest of the biblical stories and ideas.

> One can't prove that there is or isn't a god, and that seems like a stalemate.

I can't prove there isn't a deity, but I can give strong evidence that irregardless of whether he exists, the bible is a very flawed human creation and all supposed revelation is dubious at best.

I was a fundamentalist a bit over a year ago. Then I actually read a lot of archeology, biblical textual criticism, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science of religion, as well as the best books on Christian evidence like N.T. Wright's "Resurrection of the Son of God."

I'm sad to say that the case for naturalism of religion is much much stronger then any of the mutually incompatible claims religionists make by themselves. This is the main reason I am no longer a Christain.

If you want to look into the evidence against what you believe and want a good introductory book, I'd recommend this one. It covers a lot of ground, and then you can go look at any of the sections that interest you in more detail.

u/MrDelirious · 5 pointsr/atheism

There's a book about this, and it's wonderful.

I think the most common response I get after whittling away all the bullshit reasons people use to justify their beliefs is some variation on "Faith." Personal experience, feeling very strongly that something is true, wishful thinking, etc.

In debates, I give people one retreat to this answer for free. I point out how terrible it is as a path to truth, how indistinguishable faith is from gullibility, how just wanting something doesn't shape reality, and so on. The second time they do it, I point it out and close the conversation. There's no more progress to be made at that point.

u/bdwilson1000 · 5 pointsr/TrueAtheism

"50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God" is a great choice: http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-People-Give-Believing-God/dp/1591025672

u/FakeWings · 4 pointsr/atheism

50 Reasons People Give for Believing In a God is a good book that explains different reasons people believe and while it doesn't tell them they are wrong, gets people to critically think about if that reason is a good reason or not.

u/500Questions · 4 pointsr/exchristian

50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God is good, and broken up in such a way that you can read the objections to your own reasoning.

You might also want to check out r/Atheism's FAQ's. They have a lot of good book recommendations and a nice summary of common questions.

u/Mousse_is_Optional · 3 pointsr/atheism

I haven't read it personally, but I heard that 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God is good because it's specifically written to be non-offensive and in your face.

u/thesunmustdie · 3 pointsr/atheism

Not sure how you can try atheism seeing how beliefs are involuntary — you're either convinced of something or you're not.

But if it's just reading atheist literature, then tell him to take a glance at this:

https://www.amazon.com/Reasons-People-Give-Believing-God/dp/1591025672

or

http://www.kyroot.com/?p=8#jesusseminar

u/sillybluestarr · 3 pointsr/AtheismComingOut

I know a lot of people will send you to read Dawkins and Harris..ect. But I found The 50 reasons people give for believing in god to a really good starter book. It's very simply laid out. Each chapter is one reason someone gives to believing in God, and why that reason doesn't hold up to logic/facts/reasoning ect. That way if you parents ask you a specific question about why you don't believe you can give them an answer!

u/DSchmitt · 2 pointsr/religion

This is backwards thinking. Lack of evidence against something in no way is evidence for it, and in some cases can even be the opposite (lack of bigfoot skeletons is evidence towards them not existing, for example). Prove there is no X, and suppose that it's reasonable to accept X if it remains unproven but not disproven, is a way to think that leads to accepting false beliefs.

Let's apply the methodology to other ideas. Prove that fairies don't exist. Prove that the flying spaghetti monster doesn't exist. Prove that Zeus doesn't exist. Prove that socialism is bad. Prove that capitalism is bad.

The burden of proof is on the person with the positive claim... that these things exist, or that we should switch to X system, or whatever.

God does not exist is a positive claim, as is that claim that a god exists. The default position should be, if you want to believe as many true things and also not believe as many false things as you can, to not accept either claim until given sufficient evidence.

To the OP, have you read 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God? It's an excellent list of reasons people have to believe in a god.

u/personman2 · 2 pointsr/atheism

Here's my story: http://personman.com/religious-autobiography

And my favorite book on the subject so far: http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-People-Give-Believing-God/dp/1591025672

Good luck and please feel free to contact me.

u/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/atheism

Did not know that. Thank you kind, sir. Also, this is a fun read. "50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God" by Guy P. Harrison

u/tsvk · 2 pointsr/atheism

If you want a "soft" argument for atheism, try "50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God". As far as I have understood, it is not so confrontational as Dawkins or Hitchens, but acts more as a starting point for a theist in the self-evaluation of what they actually believe and more importantly, why they believe.

To get a feel about the book, listen to the author interviewed in this Point of Inquiry podcast.

u/Vigil · 2 pointsr/atheism

If I may make a suggestion? Ask her to read 50 Reason People Give for Believing in a God. I'm currently reading it to see how well it's arguments are presented compared to The God Delusion. I wanted to find a book to give to my "devout" Catholic wife to read, but I found God Delusion to be too confrontational and condescending (at least to a faithhead's point of view). 50 Reasons is written in a much more understanding and placating tone, and so has a much better chance of sparking doubt than any other piece of atheist literature that I've read so far.

I used sarcasm quotes for "devout" because even though my wife considers herself Catholic, she holds many social values that go completely against the church's official doctrine. She supports gay marriage, safe sex before marriage, and the use of condoms. She knows that she is married to an Atheist, and she's ok with that- even though if the church found out about that she would be excommunicated.
All she needs is a spark of doubt, and I can open her eyes to reason and she'll see that holding on to her faith is a vice, not a virtue- 50 Reasons, I hope, will be an eye-opening read for her.

u/anonym0ose · 1 pointr/atheism

I recommend this one as well. It's not extremely in depth but it points out almost everything briefly "50 reasons people give for believing in a God"

u/Def-Star · 1 pointr/atheism

By her the book 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in God

You may be able to get a pirated pdf online if you don't want to spend the money.

u/Hypatia415 · 1 pointr/religion

Oh, also there's a very interesting book called 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in God.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1591025672/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_1NzYBbN5B4KY4

It puts many issues into a clear cut form.

u/mixosax · 1 pointr/atheism

During my deconversion I found 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God by Guy P. Harrison to be helpful.

u/owlesque5 · 1 pointr/atheism

If you do have him read a book of your choosing, I recommend Guy P Harrison's 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God. It's not as combative as Hitchens and Dawkins, but it addresses a lot of points...50, actually. ;) If you haven't read it, I recommend it whether or not you ask your dad to read it, but I think if you do ask him to read a book of your choosing, make sure it's one you've read, so you know what you're giving him!

Although I doubt either one of you will change the other's mind, I hope that your dad's vitriol calms down and you can find a way to at least just drop the subject until you are able to move out.

u/OtherSideReflections · 1 pointr/atheism

I haven't read it myself, but from what I've heard, 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God is informative and has the sort of gentle tone that would keep religious people from getting angry and rejecting its points out of hand.

u/FinallyAtheist · 1 pointr/atheism
  1. In addition to the Iron Chariots website that someone else mentioned, I'd suggest a book called "50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God". I wouldn't consider it a scholarly approach but it does a good job of articulating why atheists reject the reasons theists give for believing.

  2. Your son (or anyone, of course) can have feelings of hate for all things religious and still have rational reasons for rejecting their claims. I think it's fair to say it's not uncommon for a new atheist, not just teenage atheists, to experience some time of intense emotion with respect to their ex-religion. So, surprising? No. I don't think so. You'll probably just have to ride it out.

  3. Tough one. It's great that you recognize he will need something more from you than the "Because God said so" response. I think it's going to be emphasizing the natural consequences of the behaviors in question. I don't have much of an answer beyond that.

    I am a father to boys, also. And ex-Christian, due in part to the atheism of my sons. And I still have trouble talking to them even though we're supposedly on the same wavelength now. And it kills me.

    Keep it at. Keep asking. Keep listening. Don't know if I can be of any further help but PM me if you want.