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Author Topic:   Shouldn't Churches Learn from Deconversion Stories?
Phage0070
Inactive Member


Message 13 of 28 (584283)
10-01-2010 4:52 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by dwise1
09-29-2010 4:38 PM


dwise1 writes:
1. Would it benefit churches and evangelists to learn why Christians of their own persuasion deconvert?
In theory, yes. In practice though, I suspect such knowledge would likely cause more harm to the Christian cause than good. This is because most of the things that cause people to deconvert are not things that can be fixed or explained away.
I say this because most people who have a faith will go through a difficult process of trying to prop up their beliefs with anything and everything no matter how tenuous or illogical. It is only in the face of overwhelming opposition do they deconvert because it is understandably a traumatic and difficult decision. If these problems had convincing, comforting answers then they wouldn't be problems in the first place.
dwise1 writes:
2. Should churches and evangelists try to learn what they're doing wrong from deconverts and try to correct their methods accordingly?
See answer to one. Churches and evangelists might come at the issue from a slightly different direction than the average believer however. Since it is in their best interests to spread the religion, refining their pitch in order to retain members seems like a good plan. However, again I don't think that honest inquiry is going to yield answers to the problems that lead to deconversion.
The caveat here is that *dishonest* approaches would certainly gain from this type of research. Someone like Ray Comfort has certainly benefited from formulating deceptions specifically targeted at the factual and theological objections which lead peopled to lose their faith.
dwise1 writes:
3. How would churches make up for the current lack of departure interviews?
The same way they always have: Evangelize harder. Religions have flourished throughout the ages based on the principle that "There is a sucker born every minute." Some like Mormonism or Catholicism have a heavier focus on "born every minute" than others, but the idea is the same across the board. The goal is to get children young and indoctrinate them thoroughly, making it very difficult/unlikely that they will leave the religion. Considering what they are pitching I honestly think they are doing better than can be expected.
Think about it; missionaries go to countries where they can barely speak the language if at all, and get people to devote their lives to a magical being which has absolutely zero tangible evidence that it even exists. They turn people into willing, self-admitted slaves purely through a carefully honed sales pitch and method acting. Who says they need to work on their model?
PS: As an aside, I have personal bias toward the concept of religious ignorance being cultivated as a bolster to one's faith. When discussing my atheism with my Christian parents, one particular point of ignorance was very memorable. My father was completely unaware that any religion other than Christianity claimed that their god or gods performed miracles.
Seriously. He thought claims of supernatural influence and intervention were unique to Christianity. It floored me then, and it still amazes me now.

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 Message 1 by dwise1, posted 09-29-2010 4:38 PM dwise1 has not replied

  
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