Still nothing.

Sad.

In the discussions I've had with religious people it sometimes seems frustrating they refuse to listen to reason, but I think in the long run it may actually help in any decision they make to leave religion. Sowing seeds of doubt, to coin a phrase. Or just showing you're quite content without God and are able to live a happy, satisfying life. That may be enough to make some people think.

Buster, I think you're on to something.  I'd like to take it a step further by applying the same principle you're suggesting.

Yes, a lack of non-religious experience can create tunnel vision which makes it difficult or impossible to understand simple points that are perfectly obvious to non-theists, or more 'liberal' theists.

But I think that the problem goes much deeper.  If we look at more fields, other things might be causing the same problem, and multiplying the effect.

Psychologically, there has been a great deal of discussion on the effects of cognitive dissonance on the young, and I would be willing to bet that when the subject is researched more, we'll discover that children are more capable of recognizing cognitive dissonance than most people think, and telling them that Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy are real sets up a potentially lifelong unreasonable acceptance of cognitive dissonance -- hard wired acceptance, so to speak.

Socially, the church is extremely powerful.  My mother is a great example of this.  After I became an atheist, I explained all the reasons to her, and she understood them, and has since admitted to me that she can see that Christianity has some things wrong with it.  Why does she stay?  Because she doesn't even know any non-Christians!  She works for a Christian music company.  All her friends and family are Christians.  Everyone she sees, except me, pretty much, is a Christian.  If she even suggested she might leave the religion, her entire life would end as she knows it, and she would be a pariah.  It's easy to understand how this pressure could cause her to subconsciously convince herself that cognitive dissonance is ok.

I could go on, but what I'm suggesting is that it's more of a web than a line.  There are probably ten or twelve very good psychological motivations for "truly believing" -- in other words, completely ignoring everything except what you hold to be dogmatically true.  I'd suggest that each of them reinforces the other, such that even if you break through one of them, you still have a support structure that quickly fills the gaps, so that with people who are that deep in, there's very little hope.

I've always maintained that it's the moderates you have to go after.  If a lot of moderates de-converted, fundamentalists would lose a lot of power.

When I broke away from Christianity, I paid a huge price.  I lost my friends.  My relationship with family members became strained.  A couple of months ago, I lost another friendship, mostly likely because of my outspoken atheism.  There are a couple of people in my music theory class who detest me because I opened my big, fat mouth.  

This is a small, gossipy community and I'm almost certain I have gained a bad reputation.  Doors tend to close.

A part of me feels like I need to blaze a path for those who may come after me.  I'm ostracized to a large extent, but I'm hoping I make it easier for someone else.  Still, I'm fucking lonely.  At some point I want to opt out of this community and have a shot at a better, less lonely life. 

My Fundy Folks I realized are VERY troubled people, both had way awful childhoods, and fundyism cured that. Security blanket. I have been so affected by it that it is hard to shake but I just posted this in another thread. I'm frustrated b/c as others said above, it's too painful to be wrong and the term "atheist" has such BAD connotations. I still look at the word and immediately think "evil."

I used to ask these questions, but, he, what's the use, but you can try 'em: 

Have you ever met a non-xian who just had this wonderful glimmer in their eye? a lust for life you envied? a heart full of goodness beyond compare? It's just too bad they're goin' to hell though. Oh well, life goes on. At least God's chosen won't have to worry about the eternal bakefest. *SIGH* 

 Ever wonder about how approx. 1% of the world is born intersexed? Contradicts Gen.1

Ever wonder why we haven't cured epilepsy & other maladies when Jesus said we could by exoricing the demons like he did?

Ever wonder why so many people have benefited from the evil, demonic, satanic streching involved in yoga poses, where the bible never mentions how to improve your physical health? I know of 2 people who wanted to die b/c of the pain they felt, but was alleviated immensely by yoga. Too bad they're going to hell. oh well.

This may not be my place because I am not American, but I see encouraging waning in the strength of religion on several fronts.

First of all, Europe is overwhelminghly secular, and there is no creationist nonsense tolerated in Europe. This is becuase in Europe unlike America, clergy once wielded direct political power.

And what do pious men of God do with political power?

They strap innocent men into chains and twist their limbs off

Secondly, Asia is also overwhelmingly secular, religion has learned to coexist with sanity, most people dont actually believe in the nonsense myths of the Babble (Im referring to Catholic Asian nations like the Philippines). You know the pastor from south Park, father Maxi? He is a really funny character, and after blowing up the Vatican this is what he said

See, these are just stories, stories to help guide people in the right direction. Love your neighbor, be a good person. THATS IT! And when people take those and turn them into translations of heirarchy and power, you end up with this. Look, Im proud to be a Catholic, but Im a Catholic in the real world, in today's world, it is time for you all to do that too.

Indeed, except in fundysville US of A, much of the world seems to have taken his advice.

the rest of Asia is either Atheist or nontheist (Buddhist) or Hindu, but they dont blow people up or set up institutes to do fake creation research.

Which, leaves, I suppose. The two problems of todays world. I call them the black citadels of hate: Islam and Christianity.

But, as China and India rise and overshadow the United States, and as oil dries up, the power of Islam (Middle Eastern oil) and Christianity (the USA) will invariably wane. The world is changing. It is changing for good.