It's not an indictment of Christianity, I don't think. What you have to realise is most Christians genuinely want to share what we believe is the truth of Christ, because we want others to have that joy. When I first joined CF, I was a baby Christian and I was drawn to GA because I really believed I'd be able to witness for Him. Actually, I epic failed and ran away, but many will be persistent even when their own faith is shaky. Because it *matters* to them to share the Gospel.
That's one of the biggest problems that others have with christianity. Just because you think it is so wonderful, it doesn't follow that everyone else does.
The simple fact is, we become what we behold. Ya know? If someone young in the faith is exposed to the atheist apologia day in day out, and they take no time to fellowship with other Christians and to grow in the faith, they'll stumble.
And how do people get in the faith in the first place? By being exposed to preaching day in and day out. If evangelism was simply handing the "so simple a child could understand" bible to someone and letting them figure it out for themselves, there would never be another convert.
Can I ask you something, though, please? Do you want for people to lose their faith?
Yes and no. It depends on who and what they do with it. I really don't care what people believe, just what they
do based on that belief. My primary concern is christian behavior that has a negative effect on me: uninvited evangelism, christian politics, attacks on the adult and entertainment industries, assaults on the Establishment Clause, faith-based initiatives, creationism in science class, having to sit through prayers at public events, etc. It's not so much that I want people to deconvert, but to convince them to stop doing those things.
I
do think christians are frittering away their lives on basically nothing. To me it is no different from being obsessed about werewolves and vampires and watching horror movies day in and day out, thinking they are "historical dramas". But hey, if that's what makes you happy, whatever. I just don't want to be forced to practice your religion with you via legislation.
Let me ask
you a question: why is converting a good thing and deconverting a bad thing? Remember that the person who asked the question does not believe in heaven or hell. Now, this is a christian forum, but what if someone was deconverted elsewhere? What reason can you provide not to do it?