Karen M

I think the title says it all

How many people have changed their beliefs as a result of this site? Do these debates actually convince any people to hold different political views or worldviews?

I was just wondering...

Captain Pedantic

I think I sort of modified my beliefs (from "technically agnostic" to atheist) rather than changed them, but certainly some of the arguments on this site, and other sites I found through this one helped me with my decision. I would recommend this site to anyone.

kwigibo

i think i've become more tolerant of religious belief because of this forum, as strange as that sounds...

Mendeh

Well, I've gone from calling myself 'agnostic' to 'atheist', and after having been for 3 years reading the posts on II, I think my ability to think logically has soared, as well, and that has certainly helped my studies at college this year. The site's been a really positive experience, as well as a positive benefit, for me.

Talon

I used to believe in love now, I only believe in sex.

TALON

southernhybrid

I think I've become less tolerant of religious beliefs since I started reading this site. Although I've been an atheist for a very long time, I never really thought about just how evil religion could be. I used to just think religion was silly. This site has also inspired me to start reading books that I would have never been interested in before. Right now I'm working on three by Carl Sagan.

MsChutzpah

I just arrived here. What I've read so far has just confirmed and reinforced my non-belief in religions. I've quite a deconversion story of my own that one day I will post, but right now I just want to lurk and read; get to know people.
I'm so enjoying reading here. I just finished reading a hilarious post "You Know You're a Christian when....." , and if you haven't read it, you should.

Straight Hate

I think my switch from theism to atheism (I now consider myself an atheist instead of an agnostic) was more from within my own self than anything. Whenever my beliefs were contested before, I typically clung onto them even moreso and blocked off all opposition. I would hazard to say that reading books about the (social) sciences helped me the most.

babelfish

Like a lot of other people I've noticed that hanging around this site has made me much more comfortable about labeling myself an atheist, rather than an agnostic. The word "atheist" has lost much of its strident, humorless connotations for me. Although I try to be aware that it still sounds bad to a lot of people around me.

It's been an eye-opener (and a thrill) to find out that there are so many other people out there in the world who have a thirst for the truth. (Not the "Truth.")

Ragnarok

I've learned about the "three levels" of agnostic, weak atheist and strong atheist and now would consider myself more a weak atheist than an agnostic. I still call myself agnostic if people insist on labelling me since the big A is still associated with being a nasty communist who smokes dope and molests children in a lot of (particularly older) people's minds.

Edited to add that I used to be MoCk. Mock, Ragnarok, they even rhyme.

[ April 27, 2002: Message edited by: Ragnarok ]</p>