Have you ever changed your mind...

[CraigBaugher]

I seriously believe nothing comes out of debating homosexuality, abortion, evolution vs creation, etc... We Christians have our views and they are not going to change. Non-Christians have their views and they are not going to change, but maybe I'm wrong...

Have you ever changed your belief system, based on any of the forum debates? Christian, question your Christianity... or Atheist become a Christian, jew, or deist, etc...

 

[gwenmead]

I've changed my belief system several times, but not because of forum debates.

The value I get out of forum debates is different from that.

 

[Jade Margery]

I have enjoyed having my ideas challenged, sometimes with good reason. Talking to people with conflicting views has given me a lot to think about and helped me clarify or revise many of my opinions. I haven't had any huge, obvious turn arounds in thought, but there have been a lot of little changes that have helped me grow as a thinker and made these discussions well worth my time.

 

[Ben-AG]

I have changed my opinions and the way I view abortion, homosexuality, and things of this sort but not because of forum debates like gwenmead stated.

Forum debates, although may not change your stance, may help sharpen your stance or revise it.

 

[quatona]

I seriously believe nothing comes out of debating homosexuality, abortion, evolution vs creation, etc...

Depends on what you count as an "outcome". Seems like you don´t include anything short of a sudden spontaneous change of conviction. Personally, that´s not what I expect from people here anyways.

We Christians have our views and they are not going to change.

Except when they do.

Non-Christians have their views and they are not going to change, but maybe I'm wrong...

Yes, you are, but according to your theory you will never be able to admit it.

Have you ever changed your belief system,

What do you mean - "my belief system"? My entire belief system, leaving nothing as it used to be, changing the fundaments, the axioms, the basic paradigms? (Why do you set the standards for "outcome" so incredibly high?).
Yes, I have. Not from one day to the other, but in a slow process.

based on any of the forum debates?

Back then there was no internet yet. So no, not based on internet forum debates. In any case, I have always preferred discussions over debates.

Christian, question your Christianity... or Atheist become a Christian, jew, or deist, etc...

People convert from and to all sorts of religions and convictions, and we have seen people converting and deconverting here.

 

[HighwayMan]

not because of the internet alone, but for a few years in my late teens I was distinctly anti-all religions, thought have grown from that.

 

[flicka]

Not from the internet or these forums. But when I was younger, in my 20's, I was much more conservative than I am now. I even remember taking the prolife position in a debate with an older jewish woman I worked with. I've become more liberal as I've gotten older.

 

[BigBadWlf]

Actually yes.

I used to be quite a bigot. I could quote Christian anti-gay sights verbatim. The sad thing was I knew all the things they were saying about gays and lesbians were lies but I still read and repeated them and worked hard to promote hatred in the name of Jesus where ever I went. It didn’t bother me that I was repeating lies, I just felt it was acceptable to lie because it was for a good cause (yes I used to think bigotry was a good thing)

However when I met up with people who could confront my lies (after a couple years of screaming hate slogans at them) the light dawned and I realized that the Christian anti-gay groups I was following were really anti-Christian. That put a whole new spin on debate and I admitted that I could not defend anti-gay bigotry without lying. Then I became a parent and realized the last thing I wanted for my son was to grow up thinking hate was a good thing.

 

[Jade Margery]

Actually yes.

I used to be quite a bigot. I could quote Christian anti-gay sights verbatim. The sad thing was I knew all the things they were saying about gays and lesbians were lies but I still read and repeated them and worked hard to promote hatred in the name of Jesus where ever I went. It didn’t bother me that I was repeating lies, I just felt it was acceptable to lie because it was for a good cause (yes I used to think bigotry was a good thing)

However when I met up with people who could confront my lies (after a couple years of screaming hate slogans at them) the light dawned and I realized that the Christian anti-gay groups I was following were really anti-Christian. That put a whole new spin on debate and I admitted that I could not defend anti-gay bigotry without lying. Then I became a parent and realized the last thing I wanted for my son was to grow up thinking hate was a good thing.

*hug*

 

[BigBadWlf]

*hug*

Awww thanks
right back at ya

 

[Mling]

Involvement in debate forums here did contribute to my conversion from Christianity to near-atheism, but it was hardly the only, or even main, thing. At most, it was a catalyst.

 

[Shemjaza]

I changed a little.

Through participation on internet forums I was able to critically analyse my beliefs and I changed from an agnostic theist to an atheist.

 

[PassionFruit]

I seriously believe nothing comes out of debating homosexuality, abortion, evolution vs creation, etc... We Christians have our views and they are not going to change. Non-Christians have their views and they are not going to change, but maybe I'm wrong...

Have you ever changed your belief system, based on any of the forum debates? Christian, question your Christianity... or Atheist become a Christian, jew, or deist, etc...

I changed my beliefs, but not on internet forums. Being on CF has made me realize why I'm no longer a Christian. However, I continue to come here to engage in debate and sometimes I learn something new.

 

[Washington]

Q. Have you ever changed your mind...

A. Yes. Went from devote Christian to objective agnostic.
A. Yes. Went from uptight prig to easy-going human.
A. Yes. Went from inflexible know-it-all to rational skeptic.
A. Yes. Went from judgmental dogmatist to understanding liberal.
​

 

[Belk]

Not these forum specifically but yes, I have changed my mind because of a discussion on a web forum. Not to mention had many things clarified for me on a great number of subjects.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

My beliefs are always changing, whether for 'good' or 'bad' is up to debate. But in the vein of my belief in God? They have most certainly changed over time.

But I can't say that any forums on the internet have caused this. At most, the internet has only acted as a catalyst, as a means of research and exposure, nothing moreso.

 

[Ectezus]

Well yes, I've changed my mind/been informed about plenty of things.

However usually the subjects I discuss are the subjects that I'm most certain about because I've done the research so in that case there is obviously less change.

The reasons are simple: fundamentals don't change overnight. And;
When you have a mindset that demands evidence when there clearly is none the only way for me to change would be to lessen my standard of accepting evidence and start relying more on (blind) faith. Which seems to be Theists arguments in plenty of discussions. "God is so obvious, just look!"

To me that's basically saying: "If you don't think rationally and skeptically you'll feel god". Which I'm not doubting by the way. I just doubt the sincerity of the feeling.

- Ectezus

 

[LightHorseman]

I've changed my view about a couple of things from these discussions, and found a deeper understanding about others through them

 

[quatona]

I used to be a nasty guy who was always wrong. Now I´m a great guy who is always right.

 

[Verv]

I seriously believe nothing comes out of debating homosexuality, abortion, evolution vs creation, etc... We Christians have our views and they are not going to change. Non-Christians have their views and they are not going to change, but maybe I'm wrong...

Have you ever changed your belief system, based on any of the forum debates? Christian, question your Christianity... or Atheist become a Christian, jew, or deist, etc...

Short answers: I don't know.

Long answer: Probably.

I have never changed my religious views though I have grown more moderate in certain viewpoints and more staunch and certain in others.

I feel that this is a good way to put your ideas through the crucible and find ones that are more moderated and find more common ground and better ideas of how you believe.

And I thank you for that.