frostymama

I already have suggestions as to which book(s) to buy my parents (thanks to everyone here) so that they can have a better grasp of world religions in general. Now I want some suggestions for books for myself.

I'm used to debating theists on parenting forums. No offense to others who frequent such forums, but the debates are not even in the same league as they are here. Their arguments are more the quality of stuff we get in RRP. I have gotten quite lazy when it comes to some of my arguments.

I would like to start venturing out of the basement and become a more active participant in the upper forums (without being a total embarrassment to other atheist debaters). I think that I will be much more beneficial if I can sharpen my skills among more intelligent theists and freethinkers. I'm definitely not learning anything new on parenting boards.

One thing to keep in mind is that I am used to debating fundamentalist protestants and am fairly knowlegeable with variations of their doctrines. I can hold my ground in an agrument against a literalist. I have more difficulty arguing with more liberal interpretations of Christianity. I would most likely be worthless in a serious debate against a non-xian theist.

If you could only have 3 books that would help you be better at debating theists here... what would they be?

[ September 28, 2002: Message edited by: frostymama ]</p>

Sarpedon

Try some Aristotle. He was a theist, and was wrong about a lot of things, but his way of thinking and writing were extremely rigorous. Try the "Nicomachaean Ethics."

Also try, "the Bible" Most of them haven't read it.

Read more about Archaeology and history. They can deny science and ignore evidence. But if you show to them that there were thriving civilizations spanning the time that there was supposed to be a world wide flood, and that there is no mention or evidence of any kind that the biblical plagues occurred, and can show how their myths are merely plagerized from earlier myths, they haven't got much to say.

frostymama

Unfortunately my parents handled that one for me. I was required to read from the Bible every day (normally at least 30 minutes). Because of this I have read the entire Bible more times than I can count. As I got older my requirements included using a concordance and lexicon to try to understand original meanings and also good deal of memorization of verses. (I was also required to read some pretty heavy duty Christian Clasics when I was a kid... Like Foxe's Book of Martyrs, various C.S. Lewis works, etc)

Of course it benefits me now in debates since I have a pretty good grasp on the scriptures.
It made deconversion a bit interesting though.