I agree with gjm’s advice, but also want to note that if that doesn’t work, you might want to consider the theory that the situation in general is not about Christianity at all, but is a more social/psychological issue. Taking a stand on a controversial issue is risky, high status behavior, and most of us have both instinct and socialization pressuring us not to do it, so it’s not really surprising that you’re having a bit of extra resistance to the idea—if you keep the option of reevaluating the issue open, you’ll experience less dissonance and be more convincing if you end up saying ‘well, I don’t know’ in the future. More importantly, it probably feels like if you do the research and pin it down—and admit that you’ve pinned it down, even to yourself—you might wind up in confrontations over it later.
It might help to specifically consider the fact that even if you do come to a strong conclusion about Christianity and atheism, you can still generally avoid the issue in most social situations. You don’t have to go out and convert people, or even talk about it if you don’t want to in most cases.
When I changed my mind the first time, I didn’t tell anyone but started covering up a lot of behaviours that a Christian wouldn’t accept. If I re-converted, I’d have to tell people.
It’s been a while since this has been relevant enough to me for me to think about, but isn’t it possible to be Christian without e.g. joining a church? Maybe not comfortable, but possible at least.
It’s easily possible and in a way intellectually consistent, but if the truth is as I’m worried it’s going to end up, intellectually consistent in about the same sense that believing one has a heart disease and not doing anything about it is intellectually consistent.
Thank you both, that’s some pretty clear advice. I do think that there are benefits to avoiding the topic in public, but there are very tangible benefits to deciding, finally, for yourself, that one or the other is true.
It also makes it clear to me that there are an awful lot of claims that come along with Christianity. It doesn’t all just follow from god as theorems in mathematics follow from axioms. I guess what I was trying to ask is if there was a case for reevaluating ‘god.’ You needn’t answer, however, as I think I’ve got a handle on this.
I agree with gjm’s advice, but also want to note that if that doesn’t work, you might want to consider the theory that the situation in general is not about Christianity at all, but is a more social/psychological issue. Taking a stand on a controversial issue is risky, high status behavior, and most of us have both instinct and socialization pressuring us not to do it, so it’s not really surprising that you’re having a bit of extra resistance to the idea—if you keep the option of reevaluating the issue open, you’ll experience less dissonance and be more convincing if you end up saying ‘well, I don’t know’ in the future. More importantly, it probably feels like if you do the research and pin it down—and admit that you’ve pinned it down, even to yourself—you might wind up in confrontations over it later.
It might help to specifically consider the fact that even if you do come to a strong conclusion about Christianity and atheism, you can still generally avoid the issue in most social situations. You don’t have to go out and convert people, or even talk about it if you don’t want to in most cases.
When I changed my mind the first time, I didn’t tell anyone but started covering up a lot of behaviours that a Christian wouldn’t accept. If I re-converted, I’d have to tell people.
It’s been a while since this has been relevant enough to me for me to think about, but isn’t it possible to be Christian without e.g. joining a church? Maybe not comfortable, but possible at least.
It’s easily possible and in a way intellectually consistent, but if the truth is as I’m worried it’s going to end up, intellectually consistent in about the same sense that believing one has a heart disease and not doing anything about it is intellectually consistent.
Thank you both, that’s some pretty clear advice. I do think that there are benefits to avoiding the topic in public, but there are very tangible benefits to deciding, finally, for yourself, that one or the other is true.
It also makes it clear to me that there are an awful lot of claims that come along with Christianity. It doesn’t all just follow from god as theorems in mathematics follow from axioms. I guess what I was trying to ask is if there was a case for reevaluating ‘god.’ You needn’t answer, however, as I think I’ve got a handle on this.