Atheist vs. Theist -- why not Religion vs. Religion?

[The6thMessenger]

I've always been pissed how can a Theist justify his own religion, but other religion wouldn't matter. I mean we see William Lane Craig, Hamza Tzortis.

I can grant most of their argument, and still it won't justify their religion.

"Anything that begins exists has a cause, the universe began to exist, therefore the universe has a cause." - Okay fine creg you win, now what? How does god fit in that?

It's just a god, not god-therefore-you-do-what-is-say-and-we-can-do-atrocities-because-our-god-says-so.

So Christians, Muslims, Jews, shouldn't you debate other people of faith first before atheists?

[Jebus]

I would love seeing people from different religions debating the merit of their particular religion. The ones that I have seen usually focus on something both religions agree upon to some extent, such as a Muslim and a Christian discussing the legacy of Jesus Christ.

The reason I don't think we will see any major universities hosting this type of debate is that religious people find it unsuitable to publicly point out shortcomings in other religions. They are fine trying to point out shortcomings to atheist viewpoints, but while doing so they are not actually criticizing a religion so this is considered fine.

Also, such debates risk opening up old wounds. Pretty much every world religion has fought a war against one another at some point in history. No war has ever been fought between a world religion and atheists which is one of the reasons so few people are against this type of debate.

[brimstoneSalad]

Jebus, I think it has more to do with mutually assured destruction.

[Jebus]

Jebus, I think it has more to do with mutually assured destruction.

Aren't you giving them a bit too much credit here?

[brimstoneSalad]

Jebus, I think it has more to do with mutually assured destruction.

Aren't you giving them a bit too much credit here?

Maybe. Although it's not necessarily a conscious realization. Maybe more of an evolutionary thing for their culture or religious practices.

The same reason Christian apologetics has really died down on the internet, perhaps.
The Christians who went out and seriously argued online encountered arguments they couldn't answer, and became atheists. The ones who kept to themselves, or avoided thinking and intellectual arguments, stayed Christian.

It may not be so much that they considered it and realized they had to stop trying to use rational arguments or they'd lose their faith by thinking about it too much, but that it just kind of turned out that way.

The same way, I suspect, that when theists spend a lot of time arguing with theists from other religions, they more often than not realize that they can't substantiate their faiths over any other, and ultimately lose them.
I would say it's likely that at least some apologists realize that, and may have kind of set precedent against making those kinds of reasoned arguments against other religions. Most theists don't, though, and may just be following in those traditions.

[Pumpkin]

I never even dared to confront an Atheist with my ideas of faith but I did it a lot with christians and muslims, I know that atheists might beat me into the ground with damn good arguments. So I just stay away from that.
Christians continue to appeal to atheists because this is their task that is described in the Bible, just as in Islam. But not every faith is super well known, which are typically viewed as sects but challenge atheists to a duel... no thanks.
Just because I have no proof. I have no book, no evidence of when or where..., nothing! We don't need a confrontation to defend a position that has not yet been proven. If you can't proof it, you stay away from people who don't believe it.... Unless you promised them eternal life ... or a better life ... or a hell if they don't follow. But I don't do things like that.

But I always find myself with my negative feelings toward other faiths. I find their way of believing pretty stupid, selfish, and thoughtless. Based on desire, human superiority and fear. That thought is dangerous and I think this is also something that other believers from other theories think.
And I think that atheists are the most interesting people for them to change to believers. Their reward in heaven would be great.